The Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus, according to the ICMR, is responsible for the recent rise in severe coughs lasting more than a week, along with fever in numerous districts of India.
The government announced on Friday that two deaths in India had been linked to the influenza A subtype H3N2 virus, one each in Karnataka and Haryana. It further mentioned that this virus had been reported in about 90 cases nationwide.
Just a few days prior, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) declared that the recent increase in cases of severe cough lasting more than a week with fever in numerous districts of India could be attributed to the influenza A subtype H3N2 virus.
Resuming preventive protocols from the COVID era is necessary because we have to deal with viruses mutating more and more, according to Dr. Nikhil Modi, Consultant in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Delhi. He also added that there is no reason to panic and that one should refrain from taking arbitrary medications.
The H3N2 virus: what is it?
The four varieties of influenza viruses that produce the contagious illness known as the flu are A, B, C, and D. The H3N2 subtype of influenza A is one of several subtypes of influenza A. The 1968 flu pandemic, which claimed 100,000 lives in the US and about one million worldwide, was caused by H3N2, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to a 2020 study published in the journal Nature Communications, the virus strains have substantially changed over the previous five decades due to persons born in the late 1960s and early 1970s becoming infected with it as youngsters.
How does H3N2 exemplify its symptoms?
Similar to other flu symptoms, it has some of the same ones. They consist of a runny or stuffy nose, runny or feverish nose, body ache, headache, sore throat, and excessive exhaustion. In very few instances, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea have been observed.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) states that an H3N2 infection typically lasts five to seven days, with the fever beginning to subside after three days. Coughing, however, can continue for up to three weeks.
Which age group is most at risk?
According to the IMA, this virus preys on those under 15 or over 50. Risk factors include:
- Being a child.
- Having co-morbid illnesses like asthma.
- Heart disease.
- A weaker immune system.
- Neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders.
How can it be stopped from spreading?
According to Dr. Modi, self-hygiene is the most effective strategy to stop the spread of H3N2. One can prevent getting sick from the H3N2 infection by washing their hands before eating or touching their face, nose, or mouth, carrying pocket sanitizer, and avoiding others with the virus or any other seasonal flu. A healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can also significantly contribute to boosting immunity. The doctor also suggested eating home-cooked, low-spice, low-fat food and drinking lots of water.
