Hyderabad: The drop in swine flu cases and its lower intensity this year was the result of the people of the city developing immunity against the Michigan strain, according to public health officials.
Only 10 cases were recorded in Telangana in November. “The Michigan strain was identified very late and by the time it was known the people developed immunity towards it. The cases being seen are very mild and the numbers have not been very high since November. The virus, present since last three years, was virulent till September. From this winter, the immunity is built in human bodies and till the virus mutates the new strain will not develop,” said a officer.
According to public health experts, the mutation cycle of the H1N1 virus of Michigan strain would take three years. But this did not mean that officials did not have to be alert. The protocol set for dealing swine flu cases was that if in a district or a particular zone there were more than five cases in a week, public health officials must be alert and monitor the situation.
A officer said, “The problem with the existing health system is that action is taken only when the virus strikes after mutation. There has to be continuous monitoring and also testing of severe cases which will help identify the mutation early and accordingly preventive steps can be taken where the immune-compromised can be vaccinated.”
