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The 2009 swine flu pandemic in India was the outbreak of swine flu in various parts of India. Soon after the outbreak of H1N1 virus in the United States and Mexico in March, the Government of India started screening people coming from the affected countries at airports for swine flu symptoms. The first case of the flu in India was found on the Hyderabad airport on 13 May, when a man traveling from US to India was found H1N1 positive. Subsequently, more confirmed cases were reported and as the rate of transmission of the flu increased in the beginning of August, with the first death due to swine flu in India in Pune, panic began to spread. As of 24 May 2010, 10193 cases of swine flu have been confirmed with 1035 deaths.

The only known drug to work against H1N1 (Tamiflu) was not sold in general medical stores, to prevent the virus from developing antibiotic resistance due to excessive use. The government feared that people would pop in pills for no reason, thereby making the virus resistant to its only known cure. The problem facing the state machinery was that flu infected cases were coming from across the country.

Generic version of Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) was made available in Indian market, after several months of swine flu attack. Natco Pharma and Strides Arcolabs have launched their generic version of Oseltamivir, Natflu and Starflu. These drugs were made available to the customers directly under prescription.

On 8 August 2010 the Indian government reported there had been 1833 deaths from swine flu in the country.

On 18 October 2010 a biotechnology firm announced the launch of India's first indigenously developed cell culture H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine under the brand name HNVAC.

Background

A new strain of influenza virus, officially named the "new H1N1", first identified in April 2009, and commonly called "Swine flu" initially spread in Mexico and then globally by transmission. It is thought to be a mutation of four known strains of the influenza A virus, subtype H1N1: one endemic in (normally infecting) humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine). Experts assume the virus "most likely" emerged from pigs in Asia, and was carried to North America by infected persons. The virus typically spreads from coughs and sneezes or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose or mouth. Symptoms, which can last up to a week, are similar to those of seasonal flu, and may include fever, sneezes, sore throat, coughs, headache, and muscle or joint pains.

Deaths

The first death was a 14-year-old girl in Pune, Maharashtra. On 8 and 9 August a 43-year-old man in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a 42-year-old teacher in Pune and a 53-year-old woman in Mumbai died. On 10 August a 53-year-old doctor in Pune and a 4-year-old in Chennai died. On 11 August a 7-year-old girl in Vadodara, Gujarat died. On 13 August, a 26-year-old woman became Bangalore's first victim of swine flu. An eleven-month-old boy, a 75-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman died taking the toll in Pune, severely hit by the virus, to 15 and across the country, to 24.A lady having a young daughter of 5 yrs died near Mumbai in Khopoli on 14 August. On 13 August, three people died at different hospitals in Bangalore, according to the reports.

Swine flu death toll crosses 500 in India. New Delhi, 10 November—The death toll of the H1N1 flu in India is rising in leaps and bounds with 18 new fatalities reported Monday. Within the short space of a little over three months, the mortality figure has shot up to 503.

Influenza A H1N1 status

As of 8 August 2010 there had been 1833 deaths from H1N1 swine influenza reported.

As of 31 January the death toll of A/H1N1 influenza was 1229, and the number of laboratory confirmed cases of A/H1N1 (including uncomplicated cases) was 28,810.

As of 8 February, the number of confirmed deaths due to A/H1N1 in India had risen to 1270.

As of 12 February, the number of confirmed deaths from A/H1N1 pandemic influenza had risen to 1302.

As of 24 February 1357 confirmed deaths from H1N1 have been reported in India, and 29,583 confirmed cases of H1N1 have been reported.

As of 12 March 2010, 1404 confirmed deaths from H1N1 influenza have been reported, and at least 29,904 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 have been reported.

Consolidated Status of Influenza A H1N1 : 2 January 2011

Deaths in cities

• Pune – 144
• Bangalore – 74
• Mumbai – 18
• Nashik- 9
• Ahmedabad – 9
• Vadodara – 5
• Chennai – 4
• Delhi – 149
• Bilaspur – 2
• Dehradun – 2
• Aurangabad – 2
• Bijapur – 2
• Hyderabad – 2
• Raipur – 1
• Panaji – 1
• Thiruvananthapuram – 1
• Rajkot – 1
• Gandhinagar – 1
• Jaipur – 1
• Chandigarh – 1
• Dhule – 1
• Latur – 1
• Mussoorie – 1
• Surat – 2
• Nagpur – 1
• Ludhiana – 1
• Jodhpur and Sirohi – 34

Total deaths till date

• 24 March 2010 – 1,444
• Maharashtra reported the maximum number of 487 cases and 20 deaths; Andhra Pradesh reported 115 cases and 12 deaths; Rajasthan reported 116 cases with 12 deaths; Karnataka had 171 cases were reported, including eight deaths.

Total cases till date

• 24 March 2010 – 20,164
• India has reported 1000 cases of swine flu (H1N1) virus, including 59 deaths which occurred in spring of 2012

References

1. Dhar, Aarti (28 April 2009). "Swine flu: India on alert". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
2. "First case of swine flu confirmed in India". IBNLive. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
3. "First swine flu death confirmed in India". PTI. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
4. "Anti-swine flu drug Tami flu now available across India". Door Darshan, India. Archived from the original on 25 November 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
5. "Retail sale of Tamiflu from next week". One India. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
6. "India allows retail sale of swine flu drugs oselatamivir and zanamivir". Dance With Shadows. 16 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
7. "Swine flu drug FLUVIR available in retail market". The Med-Guru. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. "India's first swine flu vaccine launched". business.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
10. McNEIL, Donald (23 June 2009). "In New Theory, Swine Flu Started in Asia, Not Mexico". New York Times. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
11. BBC 10 Aug 2009 Archived 10 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
12. Archived 26 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
13. Swine flu death toll crosses 500 in India Archived 12 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
14. "8 more H1N1 deaths in India, toll rises to 1229 | NetIndian". Netindian.in. 31 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
15. "2 swine flu deaths in Gujarat take India toll to 1270 | NetIndian". Netindian.in. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
16. "6 more swine flu deaths in India, toll rises to 1302 | NetIndian". Netindian.in. 12 February 2010. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
17. "11 more swine flu deaths in India, toll rises to 1357 | NetIndian". Netindian.in. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
18. "Swine flu claims 3 more lives in India, toll 1404". TheMedGuru. 12 March 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
19. "Press Information Bureau English Releases". Pib.nic.in. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
20. "Archived copy" (PDF). www.mohfw-h1n1.nic.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
21. 2009 flu pandemic in Asia

External links

• Click on a enabled date to get that week's press release on Swine Flu status from Indian Health Ministry
• Swine flu and you – CDC
• Swine Flu trend Graphs from Ministry of Health
• Swine flu symptoms and instructions
• Swine flu is receding in India

• 2009 disasters in India
• 2009 swine flu pandemic by country
• Epidemics in India
• Manmohan Singh administration