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NEW DELHI, October 25, 2015
Updated: October 25, 2015 05:41 IST
Seasonal flu more fatal than swine flu
BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN
Seasonal flu has a death rate 10 times higher than that of swine flu. According to the Indian Medical Association, if swine flu kills one in 10 lakh people every year, one in 1 lakh die due to seasonal flu.
Responding to the rising number of swine flu cases and deaths, the IMA has now issued an information note.
?People must be made aware of the fact that there is no increased mortality in the case of swine flu patients as compared to normal flu cases,? said IMA president Dr. A. Marthanda Pillai.
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Comment: Given that there have been 2,800 confirmed A/H1N1 fatalities in India this year, does that mean that there have also been 28,000 other flu deaths? Should we also factor in that confirmed fatalities are a small fraction of total probable fatalities? It is unlikely that A/H3 has 10 times the mortality of A/H1 this year because there is not much evidence for circulation of A/H3 this year. The vast majority of positive test reports have been A/H1N1. In reality of course, Indian influenza surveillance and reporting is inadequate. I agree that "swine flu" as it is still called in India is overhyped by the media who largely ignore the deaths caused by regular influenza, but that is a problem created by the Indian Government who continues to report "swine flu" cases & fatalities while continuing to not report on other flu types. Even this year, ignorance by Government officials led to rounding up of pigs, a suggestion that planting trees would defeat "swine flu" and a call for increased anti-mosquito activity. I would prefer for the Indian Medical Association to call for an expansion of Influenza surveillance and reporting rather than to have H1N1 reporting vanish too. There was an estimated 481,508 deaths from Influenza & pneumonia in India in 2014. This issue deserves greater, not less, emphasis. - Ro
Updated: October 25, 2015 05:41 IST
Seasonal flu more fatal than swine flu
BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN
Seasonal flu has a death rate 10 times higher than that of swine flu. According to the Indian Medical Association, if swine flu kills one in 10 lakh people every year, one in 1 lakh die due to seasonal flu.
Responding to the rising number of swine flu cases and deaths, the IMA has now issued an information note.
?People must be made aware of the fact that there is no increased mortality in the case of swine flu patients as compared to normal flu cases,? said IMA president Dr. A. Marthanda Pillai.
...
Comment: Given that there have been 2,800 confirmed A/H1N1 fatalities in India this year, does that mean that there have also been 28,000 other flu deaths? Should we also factor in that confirmed fatalities are a small fraction of total probable fatalities? It is unlikely that A/H3 has 10 times the mortality of A/H1 this year because there is not much evidence for circulation of A/H3 this year. The vast majority of positive test reports have been A/H1N1. In reality of course, Indian influenza surveillance and reporting is inadequate. I agree that "swine flu" as it is still called in India is overhyped by the media who largely ignore the deaths caused by regular influenza, but that is a problem created by the Indian Government who continues to report "swine flu" cases & fatalities while continuing to not report on other flu types. Even this year, ignorance by Government officials led to rounding up of pigs, a suggestion that planting trees would defeat "swine flu" and a call for increased anti-mosquito activity. I would prefer for the Indian Medical Association to call for an expansion of Influenza surveillance and reporting rather than to have H1N1 reporting vanish too. There was an estimated 481,508 deaths from Influenza & pneumonia in India in 2014. This issue deserves greater, not less, emphasis. - Ro
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