H1N1 and Influenza Cases Rise Across Several Indian States
Several states across India are recording a spike in H1N1 cases, alongside other influenza-like illnesses, viral fevers, and respiratory tract infections. While public health experts state there is no cause for alarm, they advise that children with asthma and other chronic conditions may require special medical intervention.
The H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, is a subtype of influenza A that causes respiratory illness. Its symptoms include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, a runny or blocked nose, headache, fatigue, and body aches. Some patients may also experience vomiting and diarrhoea.
Surge in Delhi and Mumbai
Delhi has recorded a sharp rise in H1N1 infections during this monsoon season, with over 1,300 cases reported. This figure is nearly six times higher than the number of infections recorded during the same period last year. By early August, the national capital had registered 1,344 H1N1 cases, compared to 229 cases during the corresponding period in 2025.
In response to the surge, government hospitals in Delhi have established separate isolation wards. Health officials have also urged vulnerable groups, including children and older adults, to take extra precautions. Special wards have been set up across hospitals to manage the influx of patients.
Mumbai has also seen an increase in cases compared to last year. According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official, the city recorded 309 cases between June 1 and August 15 this year, compared to 72 cases during the same period in 2025.
Pediatric Cases and School Transmission in Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, doctors are observing a noticeable rise in influenza-like illnesses, viral fevers, and respiratory tract infections among children. While H1N1 cases have been confirmed, testing is currently restricted to children exhibiting severe or persistent symptoms, as well as those diagnosed with severe acute respiratory illness.
At the state-run Vani Vilas Women and Children Hospital, respiratory complaints and fevers account for nearly 80% of the daily paediatric outpatient load. Chikkanarasa Reddy P.S., head of paediatrics at the hospital, stated that only children with more aggressive symptoms are being selected for testing.
Transmission in crowded settings has also raised concerns. At Bengaluru’s Clarence High School, more than 500 cases of influenza-like illness have been reported, with two confirmed H1N1 cases among students. Meanwhile, at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, director Narendra Babu reported a steady flow of viral fever cases, with the hospital confirming around two to three H1N1 cases daily among those tested.
Private sector paediatricians are reporting a sharper rise in infections, with school-going children accounting for a substantial share of the cases, according to Vikas Satwik, senior paediatrician and neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals. Sujatha Thyagarajan, lead and head of paediatric intensive care and paediatric emergency at Aster Women and Children Hospital, noted that H1N1 and other influenza A infections are rising earlier than their usual seasonal pattern.
Testing and Treatment Protocols in Chennai
In Chennai, J.K. Reddy, a senior paediatrics consultant at Apollo Children’s Hospital, reported seeing H1N1 cases among children over the last two weeks, with a slight rise recorded recently. He advised that children suspected of having influenza should be tested within 24 to 48 hours of developing symptoms, noting that anti-flu drugs are more effective when initiated during the first few days of fever.
Government doctors in Chennai confirmed they are treating patients with flu-like symptoms. However, because routine testing for H1N1 is not conducted at government hospitals, classifying these cases remains difficult.
Janani Sankar, medical director at the Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital in Chennai, stated that most children are being managed as outpatients. She added that some children experiencing extreme fatigue, severe body pain, and a lack of oral intake required hospitalisation, though they were yet to see children with H1N1 at the facility.
Varying Trends in Telangana and Kerala
In contrast to other regions, Telangana has reported a lower number of H1N1 cases compared to the same period last year, according to Ravinder Nayak, the state’s Director of Public Health and Family Welfare. Vijay Kumar, superintendent of Niloufer Hospital in Telangana, noted an increase in outpatient consultations for viral fevers from June to August, but stated there has been no significant rise in H1N1 or influenza cases so far.
Meanwhile, Kerala has experienced a rampant spread of influenza A over the last three months. The spike began in May with 526 cases and six deaths, rising to 2,050 cases and 26 deaths in June, and peaking at 2,899 cases and 31 deaths in July. Between August 1 and August 17, the state reported 1,476 cases and 21 deaths.
Cumulatively, Kerala has recorded 7,421 cases and 88 deaths caused by influenza this year, with almost all fatalities occurring in individuals over the age of 50. Public health experts in the state are urging the government to invest in annual flu vaccinations for the elderly to reduce mortality, prevent frequent hospitalisations, and lower out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures.
