Influenza records highest fatality among elderly in Tamil Nadu, finds study

CHENNAI: While the incidence of Influenza A H1N1 virus infection highest in Tamil Nadu in 2023, the state is now prone to the highest mortality among elderly, a study published in the Tamil Nadu Journal of Public Health and Medical Research stated.

Tamil Nadu recorded 3,544 cases of H1N1 last year and 19 deaths due to the same, which was the highest number of cases of the infection across the country in 2023 and the highest number of Influenza cases in Tamil Nadu since 2018.

The study by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine analysed the clinic-epidemiological profile of the cases that tested positive in Tamil Nadu between January 2022 and December 2023.

As many as 6,462 cases were tested positive in Tamil Nadu, and the clinical-epidemiological profile was available for 6,303 cases. The data on analysis revealed that the positivity rate of Influenza cases was 11.2 percent with a case fatality rate of 0.68 percent.

The highest case positivity rate was reported in children aged below 10 years.

About 20 percent of the cases were reported in children, followed by adults between yeh 50-60 years of age as they accounted for 15.9 percent cases.

However, the highest mortality rate was seen between the adults of 51-60 years as about 41.9 percent deaths are reported in elderly. The incidence was highest in Chennai, followed by Coimbatore.

As the incidence of Influenza is highest in September as about 46.5 percent cases were reported during this month, during monsoon, the results highlighted the need for intensified measures to prevent outbreaks during the monsoon months.

The study stated that the incidence of the Influenza A H1N1 case has a bimodal distribution with the highest fatality among the elderly.

Stringent surveillance and preventive measures are needed during monsoon season and early initiation of treatment is necessary to reduce the mortality and morbidity.

Experts emphasize the need to administer influenza vaccines for adults as they are at a high risk of mortality and more vulnerable to infection.

The study also highlighted the fact that early initiation of treatment following the onset of symptoms is essential to mitigate mortality and morbidity among the cases.

Timely initiation of treatment can reduce mortality and morbidity of cases of Influenza A H1N1. Hence treatment with Oseltamivir can be initiated in symptomatic patients even before testing and availability of test results during winter and monsoon seasons to achieve a better outcome, " it said.