Kochi: Cases of H1N1 flu have surfaced from different parts of the district, prompting the district medical office to initiate measures for spreading awareness among vulnerable sections while experts called for preventive vaccination among them.
A total of nine confirmed cases have been reported in October alone, the highest in the year, and one this month. Seven months passed without reporting even one case after one case was reported in January while two cases were confirmed in September.
One case each was reported in October from Keezhmadu, Maradu, Kochi Corporation, Vazhakkulam, Kadama-kkudi, Nedumbasseri and Perumbavoor and two cases were reported from Angamaly. An official with the DMO said private hospitals reported all the cases. “Samples of 242 suspected cases were sent to Manipal Institute of Virology and the nine cases were confirmed after that,” said the official.
The official said Karnataka and Maharashtra have already been hit seriously by H1N1 and Kerala needed to be cautious. “We are targeting vulnerable sections like children in special schools and anganwadis and inmates of old age homes for an awareness campaign on personal hygiene and preventable action like wearing of triple layer mask since it is an air-borne disease,” said the official.
Retired professor of virology from CMC Vellore Dr Jacob John said warnings that H1N1 will be severe in India this year are in place. Both trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines are used to prevent it and are licenced and available in India. “Children aged below five, chronic lung disease patients, pregnant women and people above 60 who can afford to take the vaccine may take it,” said Dr John.
Dr N.K. Sanil Kumar of Justice VR Krishna Iyer Movement said the absence of an institute to check and identify the disease in the state is posing a major problem. “It is a laborious task to take the samples to Manipal. The state of Virology Institute at Alappuzha leaves everything to be desired while the one proposed at the state capital is still a distant dream. After the Nipah virus outbreak, the health department too seems to have forgotten the need for it,” said Dr Sanil Kumar.
