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No deaths due to swine flu in Pune since August 10, say health officials
According to Dr Pradeep Awate there is a declining trend when it comes to both positive cases and death due to H1N1
There have been no fatalities due to influenza A H1N1, a.k.a swine flu, in Pune city since August 10, 2019.
On August 9, 2019, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) released the information for 17 deaths due to swine flu in the preceding months.
Since then, despite reports of deaths due to swine flu across the state, “Pune”, according to Dr Pradeep Awate, epidemic disease head, Maharashtra, “Has had no swine flue cases at all. No death have been reported. The death toll is static. We have had 205 deaths in the state between January and August.”
Dr Sanjeev Wavre, assistant health officer, PMC, said there one positive case has been reported on Thursday, August 29.
“There has been a lull when it comes to swine flu in Pune. As predicted by the experts at the state level, we were thoroughly prepared to tackle the infection, but have found that cases have dropped substantially. However, we are still waiting for the virus to make a come back and we are prepared for the same,” he said.
Dr Awate added, “Since last May, we are observing a declining trend when it comes to both positive cases and death. “The two digit figure of death was seen in May this year, when 30 deaths were reported state-wide; but June, July and August have seen single digit deaths that is, six, seven and four, respectively.”
Has Pune developed swine flu immunity?
“The virus has stayed long enough in the community and has become endemic now. People have developed an immunity and this could be one reason why many from Pune are able to fight it. We are mainly seeing cases only from peripheral areas this time,” says Dr Pradeep Awate, epidemic disease head, Maharashtra.
Swine flu in 2019
Positive cases in state 2040, deaths 205
positive cases in Pune city 164, deaths 17
Pune rural death toll 28
Source — Epidemic department of Maharashtra
