In the last two weeks, ten new positive cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district. According to the region’s district health officer (DHO) N Ramakrishna Rao, health officials have taken extra measures and efforts to ensure that no cases go undetected.

“All infected patients are undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, health workers have intensified surveillance across Dakshina Kannada district for more such cases,” DHO Ramakrishna reportedly said to TOI.  

A death audit committee which had been formed earlier also came to the conclusion regarding the cause of death of four people, previously thought to have succumbed to swine flu. Ramakrishna clarified that though all four victims died due to a respiratory ailment and complications of the same, their cause of death was not swine flu.

In Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had earlier set up a special team to track and monitor the cases of swine flu present in the city and to help curb the same. As part of this initiative, people exhibiting any signs or symptoms of the infection are being given tamiflu tablets as a precaution and to prevent any further spread of the same.

“We have set up a ward level committee aided by local counselors. A meeting with health workers and doctors of health centres will be held to tackle the problem,” stated Dr Shivkumar, Project Coordinator in Public Health Information and Epidemiological Cell (PHIEC) of BBMP.  “All of this is being undertaken to give awareness to the local community. We will distribute pamphlets and educate people about prevention and control of H1N1.”

In just the past month alone, over 500 cases of swine flu have been detected in the state. Swine flu, or H1N1 infection, is caused by the influenza A virus. The disease commonly manifests as high fever, persistent cough, cold, sore throat, nausea, headache, and vomiting. A throat swab and culture is done to determine whether someone is H1N1 positive.