Maharashtra records second highest H1N1 cases in country with 70 cases in January

Maharashtra has reported 70 cases of swine flu (H1N1) in the month of January this year, according to the National Centre for Disease Control data.

According to the data, out of the 451 swine flu cases reported in India in January, 260 were reported from Tamil Nadu, while 70 cases (the second most) were reported from Maharashtra.

Sanjay Khandare, Principal Secretary of the Maharashtra government's Public Health Department, confirmed that there are active H1N1 cases in the state.

“There is no need to panic. Usually, cases of seasonal flu are on the rise between August to March,” Dr Babita Kamlapur, state surveillance officer said.

Besides Mumbai, the Thane circle including thane city and rural, Kalyan-Dombivali, and Navi Mumbai too have reported swine flu cases this year.

Last year, Maharashtra reported 3,714 swine flu cases and 215 deaths due to the virus, National Centre for Disease Control data further revealed. India reported 410 deaths due to the virus in 2022.

Symptoms of H1N1 include fever, cough, sore throat, throat irritation, body ache, headache, diarrhoea, and vomiting.