The H1N1 influenza (swine flu) pandemic has taken over 17 times more human lives in seven months than the H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) epidemic took in seven years.
Globally, over 4,500 people are officially confirmed to have died due to H1N1 since it broke out in epidemic form in Mexico this April. In contrast, the bird flu virus has taken 262 human lives worldwide since it was first reported in 2003.
In India, the death toll due to swine flu has crossed 400, with Maharashtra alone accounting for over 170. Worldwide, more than 3,75,000 laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu virus have been reported by different countries to the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, the actual count may be far higher, as many countries have stopped enumerating individual cases, especially of milder illness, due to the H1N1 virus, the WHO has noted.
In India, the Union health and family welfare ministry had reports of 405 officially confirmed deaths due to H1N1 influenza in different states till October 14. The total count of laboratory confirmed cases of this malady has mounted to 12,486 through the country.
As in other countries, in India, too, the actual incidence of sickness due to this influenza is believed to be far in excess of the reported cases. Many people, and even medical practitioners, do not report cases of milder infection to the authorities, ministry sources say.
The latest ministry data puts the number of deaths due to this disease at 171 in Maharashtra, followed by 112 in Karnataka.
Andhra Pradesh comes third, with 42 confirmed deaths, followed by Gujarat with 38 and Delhi with 15. Among other states, Kerala is the only one reporting a double-digit death list, of 10, due to swine flu.
The highest number of laboratory confirmed cases of this pandemic disease, too, have been reported from Maharashtra, at 3,417. Though Delhi is not far behind with 3,206 laboratory confirmed cases, deaths in the national capital were relatively lower.
Health ministry sources said incoming passengers at all 22 airports receiving international flights were being screened for the H1N1 virus.
About 225 doctors and 172 paramedical staff were manning 83 screening counters on these airports. In all, over 61,88,560 passengers have been screened till October 14.
