Swine Flu Pandemic Declared Over In India But 3 Children Still Test Positive

As The Inquisitr reported recently, there has been an concerning outbreak of swine flu in India. So far it has claimed the lives of 2,335 people, and no one is safe – with famous Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor contracting swine flu back in March according to Greater Kashmir. The actress has since recovered and is fighting fit for her latest role of murdered air hostess Neerja Bhanot in the biopic based on the true event.

DNA India has reported that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the swine flu pandemic is considered over, although there is still expected to be sporadic outbreaks.

“While declaring the pandemic to be over, WHO conveyed that the pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus would continue to circulate as seasonal influenza virus causing sporadic cases and outbreaks of various intensities.”

Officially, the swine flu pandemic ran from July 2014 to April 21 2015. While 2,335 lives were considered lost to the Influenza A H1N1 infection known as swine flu, Health Minister J P Nadda believes some of these deaths can be attributed to other events occurring while patients suffered from swine flu, including such things as compromised immunity, kidney disease, blood disorders, and diabetes.

Since the WHO declared the pandemic over in India, The Indian Express has reported that three children have testing positive for swine flu and are currently being treated at Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital (KGMCH). Two of these children – both girls, aged seven and seven months, respectively – belong to a government nurse who worked at KGMCH and was also infected with swine flu. The third child is a fifteen year-old relative. The three children were admitted to the quarantine ward of KGMCH. All four patients are under observation but are considered to be responding well.

Technically, according to Science Times, swine flu, or swine influenza, typically infects pigs, although some people could contract it if they came into close contact with these animals (for example, veterinarians and farmers). However, in 2009, it was noted that the H1N1 strain of swine flu was being contracted by people who hadn’t come into contact with pigs. The disease spread quickly, killing many, and it was then that WHO declared a pandemic. Symptoms are very similar to those from seasonal flu and can include fever, cough, headache, runny nose, chills, body ache, tiredness and weakness, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Swine flu is considered most dangerous to small children, the elderly, pregnant women and those who suffer from asthma, diabetes and respiratory conditions.

[Image credit: Getty Images/Ulet Ifansasti / Stringer]