Swine flu cases are on the rise and the disease has proven deadly in India’s western state of Rajasthan. Flu season hits in January each year, as cold temperatures restrict immune system activity and allow viruses to multiply. A vast number of different diseases can circulate during this time, many hangovers from previous major outbreaks such as Swine flu – which made rounds in 2009 as a pandemic. Most bodies are well equipped to fight off the disease, but in Rajasthan, annual cases have almost doubled this year.
According to officials from the state, a recent spate of cold weather in Rajasthan has worsened the annual H1N1 outbreak.
Some 76 people have died after contracting the virus, accounting for more than a third of all Swine flu deaths this year.
The city is a prime location for tourists paying a visit to India, with sprawling palaces and glamorous districts such as Jaipur and Jodhpur.
According to officials, no tourists in the area had caught the virus.
A state health spokesman revealed more than 8,700 people were screened for H1N1 this year, and 1,976 had tested positive by Tuesday.
Jodhpur was one of the worst affected places, where 23 of the 76 deaths were recorded.
The recent figures are over double what was recorded last year, with 750 cases reported in January 2018.
The same month also saw fewer total deaths, at 53.
The state health official said a team from the National Centre for Disease Control has now arrived in Jodhpur to investigate the outbreak.
Rajasthan is just a snapshot of the overall picture in India however, as this year there have already been 4,571 confirmed cases and 169 deaths from H1N1 by January 27.
Doctors said the severity of the current outbreak in Rajasthan was partly due to colder than normal weather.
Raman Sharma, senior professor at SMS Medical College in Jaipur, said: ”It’s a seasonal disease and the weather is conducive to viral multiplication.”
According to the NHS, symptoms of Swine flu include:
– Sudden fever – a temperature of 38C or above
– Body aches
– Feeling tired or exhausted
– A dry cough
– A sore throat
– A headache
– Difficulty sleeping
– Loss of appetite
– Diarrhoea or stomach pain
– Nausea and vomiting