As the second wave of coronavirus is waning in India, fresh reports of new H1N1 cases are bothering medical experts in Mumbai. According to the latest updates, cases of influenza H1N1, popularly known as swine flu are being reported in Mumbai and the recent development is posing major challenges to doctors in the city, especially considering the fact that H1N1 and coronavirus infection have similar symptoms.
The treatment dilemma continues
As the symptoms of both these diseases are very similar, authorities in Mumbai have requested doctors in Mumbai to think of H1N1 if a patient is not responding to Covid treatment. In the meantime, doctors have also shared a concern that the rising cases of H1N1 in Mumbai could be an indication of reinfection post-Covid survival.
It should be noted that both H1N1 and Covid are respiratory diseases that make the diagnosis crucial to save the life of the patient. Even though the symptoms of both these infections are the same, the incubation of these viruses and the way in which they spread are different.
Infectious disease expert Om Srivastava revealed that there are almost a dozen cases detected in Mumbai where people were tested positive for both Covid and H1N1.
"In a majority, they turned out to be false positives for H1N1. But a positive report for H1N1 shouldn't be disregarded since it can also cause severe disease and death," added Srivastava, News18 reports.
Is Mumbai ready to face a Covid third wave?
Even though the second wave of coronavirus has slowed down in India, several medical experts strongly believe that a third wave of the pandemic could be imminent. According to these medical experts, the plummeting number of cases has made people unfollow safety protocols, and it could ultimately result in an inevitable third wave.
Recently, AIIMS chief Rahul Guleria had also predicted that the third wave of Covid in India could be triggered within six to eight weeks.
"As we have started unlocking, there is again a lack of Covid-appropriate behavior. We don't seem to have learned from what happened between the first and the second wave. Again crowds are building up, people are gathering. It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level. Third-wave is inevitable and it could hit the country within the next six to eight weeks, maybe a little longer," said Guleria.
