National Institute of Virology, Pune, recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as national influenza centre, is the only laboratory of South East Asia, which means that the results of the NIV are internationally accepted; there is no need for second tests. Hence, it has been besieged by tourists, who had recently returned from Mexico, the epicentre of the swine flu outbreak.
According to NIV director A C Mishra, who flew to the WHO headquarters in Geneva in light of the outbreak, this is the first swine flu outbreak in the world. Swine flu may be typically found in pigs, but humans do not contract it on a regular basis to be a common health concern.
The influenza A (H1N1) virus is usually found in pigs and contracted only by people in contact with the animals. The current spread of virus is from human to human, primarily through coughing and sneezing or touching infected surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes. Dr Mishra spoke to Deccan Herald in his office on the swine flu:
What is the present status of swine flu in India?
The virus has not come to India so far. We are on high alert and monitoring visitors coming from countries which have reported swine flu cases. Anyone showing symptoms is immediately isolated and examined for the virus. We are getting samples every day. But I cannot give figures as a policy decision has been taken to release figures only from Delhi, to avoid any confusion. So far not a single case has tested positive for swine flu in India.
What steps are being taken to keep the infection away from India?
The passengers who show symptoms at the entry point are swabbed. There are two types of swabs, nasal and throat swabs, as any flu virus is active in this part of the body. The health officials deployed at the airports then transport the samples to NIV, either by flight or through other means, depending upon the emergency. Once we receive a sample, within 24 hours we test it for the swine flu virus and report it to Delhi.
Do you have adequate infrastructure to test samples from across India?
Our infrastructure and facilities are among the best in the world. But if the cases increase, there are nine other institutes associated with the NIV which can be brought into play at short notice. Plus, we have our regional centres at Bangalore, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and Alleppey in Kerala.
All monitoring staff has been given case definition, which means they will look for place of origin of the visitor and the symptoms. If a patient from Bangalore arrives in Mumbai and shows symptoms of influenza, his samples will not be taken, as the virus doesn’t exist in India as of now. Same is for a visitor, say, from Switzerland. But if somebody is coming from the US, they will be monitored. That way we restrict samples.
Is swine flu fatal?
It is a ten-year-old virus. We are studying it. Influenza is a very unpredictable virus and twice a year new vaccines are made. So we have no exact clue what the new strain of flu virus is capable of doing. In case of common flu, it is not fatal. But take the example of avian flu, 70% of infected cases turned out to be fatal.
Why has swine flu infection not been detected in India?
India is a tropical country and the hot summer is not favourable for spread of virus. But the situation in India can change in monsoon or in winter season. So we are on full alert. There are other countries too that have not contracted or reported the flu infection spread. So it is not that the Indian population is resistant or immune to the virus infection.