Chandigarh, August 23: Ludhiana has emerged as the epicentre of Punjab’s latest H1N1 outbreak, with the state reporting 93 confirmed infections since late July, as doctors across several districts report an increase in patients with influenza-like symptoms.
The latest numbers represent a sharp rise over the previous year, when Punjab had recorded just seven swine flu cases up to September-end, according to Union health ministry data.
Despite the increase, health minister Dr Balbir Singh described the situation as part of the normal seasonal influenza cycle and said widespread hospitalisation had not been reported.
“It is like seasonal influenza,” Singh said on Saturday. “Cases are on the rise throughout the country and Punjab is no exception.”
The minister said the state had already strengthened its preparedness by establishing isolation wards in government hospitals. “Teams are on the ground and surveillance has also been increased,” he said.
Ludhiana’s high case burden is noteworthy given its previous H1N1 pattern. A recent study examining the disease in Punjab found that the district recorded the state’s highest number of cases in each of the three years from 2022 to 2024.
At Ludhiana’s Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, doctors have reported a noticeable rise in patients suffering from seasonal influenza and other viral infections.
Similar symptoms are being seen elsewhere. A doctor at Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala said there had been a noticeable increase in patients reporting fever, cough, body ache and other symptoms commonly associated with viral infections.
The state’s response comes as the National Centre for Disease Control has circulated technical guidelines on H1N1 to states. The guidelines cover areas including identifying and categorising patients, home care, clinical treatment, sample collection and laboratory testing.
H1N1 is a strain of Influenza A virus and is commonly referred to as swine flu. The infection generally causes respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat, along with body ache, headache, chills and fatigue.
While most healthy individuals recover with rest and symptomatic treatment, health experts caution that H1N1 can lead to more serious illness among vulnerable groups, including young children, elderly people, pregnant women and those with underlying health problems.
Doctors have urged people with persistent or severe respiratory symptoms to consult a medical professional, especially when symptoms such as breathing difficulty develop.
State nodal officer Dr Manmeet Kaur could not be reached despite repeated messages seeking the latest statewide surveillance details.
