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H3N2 Influenza News Updates: Two people have died due to H3N2 influenza, sources at the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.
While one person died in Haryana, another person died in Karnataka. So far, there are around 90 cases of H3N2 influenza in the country and eight cases of the H1N1 virus have also been reported.
Notably, flu cases are rising in the country for the past several days and most of the infections are caused by the H3N2 virus, also known as the ‘Hong Kong flu’. However, only H3N2 and H1N1 infections have been detected in India so far. The symptoms of these infections include fever, chills, cough, breathlessness and wheezing.
The H3N2 influenza, which is spreading widely for the past two-three months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes, said ICMR scientists who keep a close watch on ailments caused by respiratory viruses.
H3N2 influenza: IMA Cautions Against Use of Antibiotics
Last week, the Indian Medical Association on Saturday cautioned against use of antibiotics and said the mounting infections are due to the H3N2 influenza virus, which lasts between five to seven days.
“A sudden increase in the number of patients having symptoms of cough, nausea, vomiting, sore throat fever, bodyache and diarrhoea in some cases,” the IMA wrote on Twitter.
“While fever goes away at the end of three days, coughs can persist for three weeks,” it added, advising doctors to avoid prescribing antibiotics to such patients.
Air pollution a Precipitating Factor
The IMA further said that the cases are typically seen in people over the age of 50 and below 15. Some are also reporting upper respiratory infection along with fever. “Air pollution” is also a precipitating factor.
However, the IMA advised medical practitioners to give only symptomatic treatment as there is no need for antibiotics.
The IMA pointed out that people have started taking antibiotics like Athreycin and Amoxiclav etc without caring for dose and frequency and they stop once they start feeling better. They added that “this needs to be stopped as it leads to antibiotic resistance.”
“Whenever there will be a real use of antibiotics, they will not work due to the resistance,” the IMA wrote.
The IMA issued an advisory and said people should avoid crowded places, practise some good hand and respiratory hygiene practices as well as flu vaccination.
