West Ahmedabad accounts for 76% of swine flu infections

AHMEDABAD: After being a Covid hotspot not very long ago, the western part of Ahmedabad has turned into an epicentre for swine flu infections. Of the total 743 cases registered this year, 76.4%, or 542 cases were reported from western areas of the city. About 709 cases were recorded in August alone. The remaining 23.6% of the cases were reported from the eastern parts of the city. Most swine flu cases have been reported from Bodakdev, Jodhpur, Thaltej, Ghatlodia, Navrangpura, Paldi and Vasna in Ahmedabad city. Thaltej reported the highest number of cases at 78 followed by Jodhpur at 72. On the other hand, in the eastern part of the city, Nikol reported highest number of cases at 19.
In August, five swine flu patients lost their lives while one case of suspected swine flu death was also reported. Explaining the scale of spread of the disease, AMC officials said that there were just two cases in June followed by 30 in July. Till August 18, 370 cases of swine flu were reported from various parts of the city and from August 19 to 31, 339 more cases were added.
According to a senior AMC health official, a major chunk of swine flu patients were children under 15 years of age. Of the 709 cases reported in August, nearly 150 were children under 15 years of age.
"We have reported five H1N1 deaths this year, but these deaths are due to chronic conditions among the elderly," a senior AMC health official said. He added that more people from western parts are getting themselves tested.
Dariapur is the only ward that has not reported a single swine flu case so far.