Six people have reportedly died from influenza caused by the H3N2 virus. The deaths were reported in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka
One death was reported in the Hassan district in Karnataka. The 82-year-old Karnataka victim was suffering from fever, sore throat, and cough and was the first confirmed casualty of H3N2 influenza in India
Hire Gowda from Alur Taluk of Hassan district was admitted to the Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences on February 24 and died on March 1. He was a diabetic and suffered from hypertension
India is seeing a sudden surge in flu cases, which have been linked to the H3N2 virus, which is also known as "Hong Kong flu". Over 90 cases of the H3N2 virus have been reported in India so far
Since H3N2 spreads through droplets similar to Covid, wearing masks and physical distancing is a must if we wish to curb the spread of the disease, many experts note
The infection is being spread by respiratory viruses, most commonly influenza, leading to fever, persistent cough for almost 3 weeks, and chest congestion
Patients have also reported nausea, sore throat, body ache, and diarrhoea. These symptoms can persist for about a week. The cough can stay up to 3 weeks
IMA and ICMR said affected patients should take medications as per prescription. Some prevention tips are annual flu vaccinations, regular hand washing, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded public places
Doctors said that popping antibiotics, if suffering from H3N2, without medical diagnosis could cause way more harm to the body than good
Indian Medical Association said patients should not eat antibiotics like Azithromycin and Amoxiclav to alleviate symptoms. IMA said the most misused antibiotics are Amoxicillin, Norfloxacin, Oprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Levofloxacin