Question : H1N1 Influenza

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is true that Michigan strain H1N1 virus has been detected in many parts of the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of deaths reported across the country attributed to said virus;

(c) whether the said virus is likely to infect more people who have not developed immunity to it yet and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken to prevent more people from being affected by it;

(d) whether the Government has launched any monitoring system for detection of H1N1 influenza in the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the steps taken/ being taken by the Government to set up monitoring system for the purpose; and

(e) the extent to which the said system is likely to improve the community health in the country particularly in Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (e) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 5* FOR 2ND FEBRUARY, 2018

(a) As per the studies done at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, A/Michigan/45/2015 like viruses have been detected in India since February 2016, when it co-circulated with A/California/07/2009 (25%). Since April 2017, all viruses detected have been A/Michigan/45/2015.

Like in 2016 A/Michigan/45/2015 like strains were reported from Maharashtra (Pune, Sholapur, Dhule) & Tamil Nadu (Chennai). In 2017 all the circulating viruses from Maharashtra (Pune, Buldhana Dhule, Sholapur, Nanded), Jammu Kashmir (Srinagar, Jammu), Gujarat (Ahmadabad, Rajkot), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad), Rajasthan (Jaipur), West Bengal(Kolkata), Delhi and Assam (Guwahati, Dibrugarh) have been Influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 A/Michigan/45/2015 like.

(b) The number of cases and deaths of seasonal influenza (H1N1) as reported by States/UTs under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during the last five years and current year is as under:
Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Up to 28.01.2018
Cases 5253 937 42592 1786 38810 726
Deaths 699 218 2990 265 2264 55

(c) Yes. Individuals not immune to the A/Michigan/45/2015 strain are likely to get infected. Adoption of general hygienic measures, vaccination of the high risk population and timely management of patients are the recommended steps for prevention to said virus.
(d) Under IDSP, the National Centre for Disease Control undertakes surveillance for Influenza like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) supported by two large networks of laboratories, viz:
(i) A network of 12 labs supported by IDSP/NCDC and
(ii) Another network of 41 labs supported by Indian Council of Medical Research (Out of which 6 are common to IDSP and ICMR).

The weekly status of seasonal Influenza H1N1 is collected, collated and analyzed and is also available in the public domain.
(e) The existing surveillance system is capable of detecting early warning signals through which the steps/remedies are taken at the community level so that major outbreaks are prevented. In the same manner early warning signals were detected and States were supported by deputing central teams to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Telangana in 2017 and Rajasthan in 2018. The number of cases and deaths during the last three years reported by District Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh is as under:
Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 (up to 28.01.2018)
Cases 0 0 20 0
Deaths 0 0 1 0

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