Highest swine flu cases since 2018, DC tests positive too

Ludhiana: Swine flu deaths and cases reported this year have been the highest in Ludhiana district since 2018.
As per the latest report, Ludhiana has reported six deaths due to swine flu till Thursday. The data of previous years revealed that the number of death was higher in 2017 when 18 persons had died of the disease in the district. In 2020, no such deaths had occurred.

According to latest data, the number of swine flu cases in the district has reached 19. The number was higher only in 2019 when 86 such cases had been reported.
Health experts said swine flu cases coming in the rainy season is not very common as such cases are reported around winter.
Even as civil surgeon Dr Hatinder Kaur was not available for comments, an officer in the health department said swine flu cases coming at this point of time is not common as such cases are normally reported in October and November. The officer said last year, swine flu case had been reported in September and a patient had died too.
The health officer said the contacts of such patients are put on prophylactic treatment for 10 days. The officer said survey of the area is done by health team to find out whether any other person there has flu like symptoms, including high-grade fever.
A health expert said since swine flu is a form of influenza, people should get influenza vaccination. Dr Gurpreet Singh, senior consultant and head, department of pulmonary and critical care at a city hospital, said though swine flu cases mostly come around October and November, but this time around cases have been reported a bit early and it should be a matter of research.
He said there are various forms of swine flu — mild which is self-limiting disease with patients recovering in four to five days with symptomatic treatment; moderate where patient does have breathing problem and may need anti-viral drugs and symptomatic treatment; and severe in which mortality rate is high and patient has severe breathlessness, hypoxia (low oxygen in the body) and may need ICU admissions and ventilator support as well.
Meanwhile, administration officials said Ludhiana deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik has also tested positive for swine flu and has isolated herself. She had viral fever on last Friday, so she got herself tested and result came out as positive. They said her condition has improved.