The next time you see a person suffering from a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, fatigue or a headache, ask him/her to consult a doctor at the earliest as the deadly swine flu is once again stretching its leg in India.
As per the recent reports by the health authorities of the country, three swine flu reported cases have been positive this year in a few districts of Punjab. One of them out of three has also lost his life.
As per the weatherman, flu incidents generally are at their peak during winters though Influenza outbreaks do occur in the tropics as well which is at present the condition in Punjab.
The state is reeling under high humidity and dry weather conditions after the passage of the recent Western Disturbance. The state has been witnessing the flow of dry and cold north westerlies which are favorable for the influenza virus to spread.
The lethal swine flu had become a pandemic in the year 2009 when it out-broke in India with its first case found in Hyderabad. Since then, the country has been vulnerable to the flu.
Though the death toll, when compared with the year 2015, has declined steeply, but the flu has been affecting the country. In fact, a case of a person with a positive H1N1 virus has been recently reported in Uttarakhand as well.
As per the health experts, swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by the influenza viruses and the same is common throughout the pig populations across the world. As the flu is contagious in nature, it is easily transmitted into the human body through normal coughing or sneezing showing the normal influenza symptoms.
Though the symptom of the flu lasts for about one to four days, serious precaution is advised if the incubation period continues for nine to ten days.
To battle the increasing swine flu cases, the health department is constantly conducting various awareness programs in various hospitals across Punjab. However, the flu takes only a few general precautions to stay safe from the H1N1 virus. These precautions include properly washing your hands with an anti-bacterial soap, taking a good night sleep of about seven to eight hours and staying well hydrated.
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