India's 1st H3N2 virus deaths reported in Haryana, K'taka: Sources

CHENNAI: Two persons have died of Influenza caused by the H3N2 virus, Union Health Ministry sources said today. One person has died in Haryana and the other, in Karnataka, according to top official sources.

The H3N2, which has been in wide circulation for the past few months, causes more hospitalisations than other subtypes, said ICMR scientists who keep a close watch on ailments caused by respiratory viruses through the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories network. Symptoms of this viral fever include fever, sore throat, cough, and runny nose.

The Health Department has reported that 90 people have been affected by this influenza virus so far. The Central government has also informed the public that necessary measures have been taken to prevent the spread of H3N2.

The spread of infection can be prevented through measures such as cleanliness, preventing crowding, and hand hygiene.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), on the other hand, has advised against indiscriminate use of antibiotics amid rising cases of cough, cold and nausea across the country.

The most misused antibiotics are Amoxicillin, Norfloxacin, Oprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Levofloxacin. These are being used for the treatment of diarrhoea and UTI, it said.

(With inputs from PTI)