The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 4th April 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

A fresh COVID-19 data interpretation approach

Why in News?

There is a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases in India, a surge that is attributable to at least three reasons. One, the XBB.1.16 recombinant variant which has higher transmissibility in comparison to other circulating variants. Two, the recent viral flu surge (H1N1 and H3N2 sub-types) which resulted in health-care providers recommending higher COVID-19 testing. Three, the availability of COVID-19 testing at low cost and the COVID-19 surge that is nudging people who have a cough and cold to get themselves voluntarily tested. 

What is the H3N2 virus?

• Influenza viruses, which cause the infectious disease known as flu, are of four different types: A, B, C and D. Influenza A is further classified into different subtypes and one of them is the H3N2.
• H3N2v is a non-human influenza virus that normally circulates in pigs and that has infected humans - known as ‘swine influenza viruses’. When these viruses infect humans, they are termed 'variant' viruses. The specific H3N2 variant virus was detected in 2011 in humans with genes from avian, swine, and human viruses and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus M gene.
• H3N2 caused the 1968 flu pandemic that led to the death of around one million people globally and about 100,000 in the US.
• A 2020 study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that the strains of the virus have dramatically evolved in the past five decades as people born in the late 1960s and 1970s got infected by it as children.

What are the symptoms of H3N2?

• Its symptoms are similar to that of any other flu. They include cough, fever, body ache and headache, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose and extreme fatigue. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea have been seen in very few cases.
• An infection caused by H3N2 generally lasts for five to seven days and the fever starts going away after three days. However, the coughing can persist for up to three weeks.

Which age group is more vulnerable?

• This virus usually preys on individuals below the age of 15 years or above 50 years of age.
• Children and those with co-morbidities like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immune systems and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions are at a higher risk.

Transmission

• H3N2 influenza is highly contagious and can spread from person to person through droplets generated when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes.
• It can also spread by touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching one's mouth or nose. People who are at high risk of complications from the flu include pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with underlying medical conditions.

How to prevent it from spreading?

• Self-hygiene is the best way to thwart the spread of H3N2.
• Washing hands before eating or touching your face, nose or mouth, carrying pocket sanitiser, and avoiding people already infected with the virus or any other seasonal flu are some of the steps one can take to make sure they don’t fall sick due to the H3N2 infection.
• Moreover, a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables can also play a significant role in improving immunity. The doctor added that drinking a lot of fluids, and eating home-cooked, low-spice and low-fat food can also help.

Treatment options

• Taking proper rest, drinking lots of fluids and using over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to lower fever are all part of the H3N2 influenza treatment regimen. If a patient has severe symptoms or is at a high risk of problems, a doctor may also recommend antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir.
• WHO further says that in suspected and confirmed cases, neuraminidase inhibitors should be prescribed as soon as possible (ideally, within 48 hours following symptom onset) to maximize therapeutic benefits.
• To prevent H3N2 influenza, it is essential to take some measures such as receiving a flu vaccine annually.

What is H1N1?

• Influenza A (H1N1) virus is the subtype of influenza A virus that was the most common cause of human influenza in 2009.
• H1N1 flu is also known as swine flu caused by swine influenza virus that is endemic in pigs.
• It is a highly contagious disease and can easily spread from a patient through saliva and mucus.

What are the recent developments?

• India is witnessing a new rise in the number of cases and deaths due to swine flu.
• Gujarat is the worst-affected, followed by Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi.
• The number of cases in the southern states is also high compared with last year, especially in Tamil Nadu.

What is the reason?

• Pune based National Institute of Virology has noted that the virus has not undergone any significant mutation directly responsible for the spread or increased mortality.
• Also, the virulence or the disease causing nature has remained nearly unchanged.
• However, the virus has undergone point mutations.
• This has resulted in a new strain called the Michigan strain which has replaced the California strain which has been prevalent since the 2009 pandemic.
• Only the Michigan strain is circulating this year as against the co-circulation of both strains last year.
• While earlier vaccinations made people immune to the California strain, the circulation of the new strain is the cause of increased caseload and mortality.

What is to be done?

• Vaccine - After mutation, the newer strain emerges stronger than the earlier strain.
• More research is needed to fully understand the epidemiology of H1N1 caused by the Michigan strain, and who may be more vulnerable.
• Also, the composition of the swine flu vaccine will require changes as per the World Health Organization (WHO)s recommendation.
• Database - The numbers in the official report do not reflect the true reality.
• This is because it is not mandatory for the private hospitals to disclose all the deaths and the people affected, to the government’s database.
• There is a need for a system to record and release the actual number of cases for making appropriate response.
• Prevention - Being a communicable disease, swine flu can best be prevented with awareness generation by the governments.
• Uptake of influenza vaccination by people, health-care workers and especially by those belonging to the high-risk category, can go a long way in reducing the cases.
• High-risk categories include pregnant women, very young and old people, those who have had organ transplantation and those with certain underlying illnesses.
• Government should ensure that there are enough vaccines in various health centres.
• Also, it should take measures to keep the environment clean to address poor hygiene and sanitation being causes of swine flu.
• Diagnose - Sufficient lab facilities to diagnose H1N1 cases among both hospitalised and non-hospitalised population is essential.
• The government should do everything possible to take both preventive and curative measures to fight swine flu.