Hyderabad/New Delhi,June 06: India Saturday reported three fresh cases of swine flu, including a woman and her four-and-a-half-year old daughter, in the Andhra Pradesh capital, taking the total confirmed cases to eight so far.
Those who tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) also include the 24-year-old brother of a techie who had returned from the US May 31 with the infection. Doctors and health officials said this is the first indigenous case of swine flu in India.
First case of human to human transmission
The first case of human-to-human transmission of the deadly virus of swine flu in the country was reported from Hyderabad, raising concerns.
The human-to-human transmission took place when a man, who came back from the United States on May 31, infected his younger brother who was living in Hyderabad. Both of them have tested positive for the disease.
One more case was reported in Karimnagar locality of Hyderabad. A mother-son duo, who were sitting two rows behind the the passenger from the United States, also reported symptoms of flu.
While the child tested positive, the results of the tests on the mother are yet to come.
Though the severity of the infection cannot be said to be more, human-to-human transmission is a cause of concern as this means that the virus is circulating in the environment now, Director of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) Dr V N Katoch told said.
Spurt in flu after September
“There might also be a spurt in the cases of swine flu after September as generally we see an increase in cases of common influenza during this period,” he said.
The Centre has taken immediate steps and rushed Rapid Action Teams to Hyderabad to spruce up containment measures.
The total number of positive cases has gone upto seven with the latest cases from Hyderabad.
“While others who tested positive had come from other countries, the 24-year-old is the first person to be infected without travelling abroad,” L.V. Subrahmanyam, principal secretary health, government of Andhra Pradesh, told IANS.