The Pune district administration has intensified surveillance to quickly identify any outbreak—be it of Covid or H3N2 virus cases—and said there is no need for panic.
“We have been monitoring pharmacies and OPDs in hospitals to trace cases and mark their locations. We have been very particular about patients with comorbidities to prevent deaths,” Pune zilla parishad CEO Ayush Prasad told The Indian Express.
At the district health department, officials have been reporting 60-65 new Covid cases daily since March 14. There were only 31 new Covid infections in the district on March 10.
Across Maharashtra, 128 new Covid cases were reported on Monday. Overall there are 1,364 active cases—411 in Pune, followed by 296 in Mumbai and 244 in Thane.
Approximately 900-1,100 samples are being tested daily and Covid-positive ones are being sent to the B J Medical College’s genome sequencing laboratory as well. While the district administration assures it has the necessary medicines, well-trained teams and functional infrastructure, doctors have urged senior citizens, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children to exercise caution. “Those with upper respiratory illness should wear a mask while stepping outside and ensure they get adequate rest,” Dr Sanjay Pujari, an infectious diseases expert, told The Indian Express.
Covid cases are mild and like many sub-lineages of the Omicron variant that have fizzled out, these simmering infections will continue to occur. The XBB.1.16 variant is a similar Omicron sub-lineage and the fast spread is likely due to the waning of immunity since the last infection, Dr Pujari said.
The expert said the increase in H3N2 cases (seasonal influenza virus) is being observed mainly due to the sensitivity of the health department that has been honed by its Covid response. “We usually see a spike of H3N2 cases in this season from January to March,” Dr Pujari added.
Prasad said there was no centre of an outbreak in the district. “It is not concentrated in any particular region. There is no social circle that is facing an outbreak, either. Hence epidemiological containment measures cannot be enforced at this stage,” he said.
H3N2 cases
So far the district has reported a little more than 100 cases of H3N2 virus. As per the Maharashtra health department’s data from January 1 to March 19, 3 lakh patients were suspected to have influenza and 1,762 of them were treated with oseltamivir (known as Tamiflu). Of these, 407 people have A (H1N1) virus (swine flu), while 217 tested positive for the H3N2 virus.
There have been three deaths due to swine flu and one death is suspected to be due to H3N2, according to the data. A death audit will ascertain the causes of three other deaths.
