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Bandra (W), Andheri, Powai most affected by H1N1 this year

The incidence of H1N1 in the city this monsoon has been as peculiar as the behaviour of the virus itself. After lying dormant for whole of 2011, the virus came back in circulation in March and peaked in July with 116 cases. However, experts are debating whether to term it the resurgence of the virus or write it off as harmless seasonal flu. 

This year between March and July, 178 people tested positive for H1N1, out of which 116 cases were in July itself. Interestingly, the incidence is clearly driven by testing of patients mostly from affluent pockets of the city. Most of the samples have tested positive in private laboratories, where the test costs about Rs 4,500. The laboratories at Kasturba Hospital and Haffkine Research Institute, where the testing is done for free, have been doing it only for a miniscule percentage of the samples.

A senior physician from Kasturba Hospital said there is definitely some increase in cases, but given the strange pattern of testing it is difficult to gauge if there is an overall increase in the incidence. Civic data too reveals the same. About 96% of the positive cases in the city have come from affluent pockets.

BMC’s epidemiologist Dr Mangala Gomare said, “This year most of the cases have come from areas like Bandra (west), AndheriPowai, Bhandup and Goregaon” . For instance , out of six people who tested positive on Friday, three were from Bandra, Mahim and Santa Cruz.

A 32-year-old man from Kanjurmarg and a 70-year-old man from Vikhroli were also affected by the virus. About 31 people each from HWest (Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz) and S (Bhandup, Powai, Vikhroli) wards have tested positive in the month of July. These areas have remained the highest in the count of positive cases.

But does it mean the virus is absent in other pockets of the city? “The answer is no,” said the physician from Kasturba Hospital. “The only difference is testing is restricted to patients with right indications, unlike in private set-ups where all and sundry could be going for it,” the doctor said.

State epidemiologist Dr Pradeep Awate said 13-15 % of those who were underwent testing have come positive. Statewide, 436 people tested positive between April and July this year. “The incidence is no doubt more than last year but not as much as during the pandemic in 2009. Physician Dr Akil Contractor said testing did not have any bearing on patients. “But patients sometimes get panicky. So we have to recommend testing,” he said.

Source: ,  Times of India

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