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A total of 400 suspected cases of H1N1 influenza have been reported across Pakistan so far
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A total of 400 suspected cases of H1N1 influenza have been reported across the country so far, out of which 120 influenza positive cases have been confirmed in the country, resulting in 20 deaths.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), most of the cases have been reported from Multan, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, and Bahawalpur.
According to a specialist on infectious diseases, Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan and other senior scientific officers in a seminar at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences people should not panic due to the 20 fatalities from the virus.
They further said Adult and healthy people do not even have to go to the hospital if they have influenza because they recover from it within a few days.
Although the illness can be successfully managed in most cases, what is of concern to health authorities in Punjab is that the province has logged over 20 influenza-related deaths.
Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses which circulate in all parts of the world. There are four types of seasonal influenza viruses, types A, B, C and D, of which influenza A and B viruses circulate and cause seasonal epidemics of disease.
Hospitals should monitor those most at risk and be better prepared with free flu vaccines and antibacterial drugs to treat secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia to prevent influenza-related deaths.
According to a latest WHO report released in late 2017, up to 650,000 deaths annually are associated with respiratory diseases from seasonal influenza. The agency has already urged all countries to work together to control influenza outbreaks.
Lastly, even if precautionary measures are rather basic and obvious washing hands, staying away from sick persons, drinking plenty of fluids and eating nutritious foods can prevent H1N1 influenza.