Influenza cases: Maha reports 264 H3N2 and 425 H1N1 cases in 2023

Image used for representational purpose. Pic/iStock

A release by the Maharashtra government on Thursday showed that the state reported 3,19,224 suspected influenza cases in 2023 (From January 1 to March 21). Among them, 1777 suspected flu patients were given oseltamivir -- an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B, viruses that cause the flu.

It further shows that the number of infected patients of H1N1 and H3N2 during the same period are 425 and 264, respectively. While three deaths are reported due to H1N1 infection, whereas one H3N2 suspected death is also reported.

However, the release added a note saying, "Apart from this 3 suspicious deaths have been reported. Out of which 1 death is from Washim, 1 death is from Khadki Cantonment Board and 1 death is from Pune Municipal. The cause of all these deaths will be ascertained after post-mortem."

Also read: Maharashtra: 73-year-old man who tested positive for H3N2 virus dies in Pimpri-Chinchwad

Meanwhile on March 16, a 73-year-old man with comorbidities, who had also tested positive for the H3N2 virus, died in a civic-run hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial town in Pune district of Maharashtra

As a part of preventive and remedial measures, the release stated that "routine patient survey for covid-19/influenza resident survey instructions have been issued." "Similarly, all District Health Officers, District Surgeons and Medical Health Officers of the state have been instructed by the VC," it read.

The release also mentioned that "flu-like patients are treated without delay according to classification." "Isolation rooms have been set up in government hospitals as well as medical college hospitals in the state," it added.