Pune sees drop in H3N2 cases as mercury surges - Hindustan Times
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Pune sees drop in H3N2 cases as mercury surges

Mar 27, 2023 10:43 PM IST

The rise in minimum and maximum temperature in the past few days has resulted in decline in cases of H3N2, a subtype of Influenza, in the city

The rise in minimum and maximum temperature in the past few days has resulted in decline in cases of H3N2, a subtype of Influenza, in the city. Experts cite that high temperature reduces influenza viral replication.

The rise in minimum and maximum temperature in the past few days has resulted in decline in cases of H3N2 (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)
The rise in minimum and maximum temperature in the past few days has resulted in decline in cases of H3N2 (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

According to health experts, changes in temperature, rainfall, and humidity can have profound effects on spread of the infectious disease. Pune city recorded a minimum temperature of 19 degrees C and a maximum temperature of 26 degrees C on March 13. While minimum temperature saw a minor drop on Monday (March 27) to 15.6 degrees C, the maximum was 35.7 degrees C.

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As per the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) records, the city reported 27 cases of H3N2 in January, 89 in February and 98 in March till date with only 24 cases registered in the last nine days.

Dr Suryakant Deokar, PMC assistant health officer, said that cases will drop further in the coming days. “However, high-risk patients should be careful as they could become critically ill if infected with the virus. The two H3N2 deaths reported in the city were high-risk patients with morbidity,” he said.

“We are monitoring the situation with adequate arrangements of beds, medicine and team to handle any surge in cases. The cases in private facility are monitored on daily basis,” he said.

Dr Rhea Punjabi, physician and medical superintendent at Inlaks and Budhrani Hospital, said, “There is a decline in patients with viral fever and flu symptoms by almost 35%. We are getting patients with cold, cough, wheezing and fever. The patients are taking more time to recover.”

Abhijit Lodha, physician at Ruby Hall Clinic, said that H3N2 cases have plateaued. “Few weeks back we got around 10 to 12 cases of influenza-like illness which has dropped to 3 to 4. We are testing only high-risk patients for H3N2 viral infection. The virus thrives in cold weather and could lead to further spread. In cold weather, people prefer to stay indoors and breathe the same air further spreading the virus,” he said.

Dr Pradeep Suryawanshi, paediatrician at Sahyadri Hospital, said, “The number has gone down in the last seven days. We could assume that it is due to rise in temperature in the city. We test only admitted patients. Children with pneumonia and influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms are admitted at the hospital.”

“Children are taking longer to recover like between 5-10 days. Most of the regular medicines are not working when it comes to recovery. Although the response is slow, recovery in children is good,” said Dr Suryawanshi.

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