Bhubaneswar: Two persons in Odisha have tested positive for highly contagious H1N1 virus infection which is also known as Swine Flu. Among the two persons infected with Swine Flu are a 38-year-old-man and a 28-year-old woman. Sources in the Health department informed Friday that the two persons are undergoing treatment at a private hospital and their condition is stable. However, the sources refused to disclose the identity of the patients or the name of the hospital where they have been admitted to.
The sources also informed that both patients do not have any recent travel history. So it is a bit surprising as to how the two were infected by the virus.
Odisha usually witnesses two peaks of the Swine flu disease. The first is before the monsoons arrive and the second during winter. Health Director Niranjan Mishra however, assured that there is no need to panic and the state is fully prepared to tackle any situation arising out of Swine Flu. “The government is fully prepared to meet any kind of eventualities arising out of the situation,” Mishra stated.
Swine Flu is also known as H1N1 virus infection. It is the strain of an influenza virus that causes symptoms similar to the regular flu. It made headlines in 2009 when it was first discovered in humans and became a pandemic. Like other strains of the flu, H1N1 is highly contagious, and the virus has the ability to spread quickly. A simple sneeze can cause thousands of germs to spread through the air. The virus can linger on tables and surface areas like door knobs, and can also infect people coming into contact with such surfaces.
