Delhi-NCR has been put on alert after 2 people tested positive for the H3N2 influenza virus in Gurugram. In the last 24 hours, a 55-year-old woman and an 11-month-old baby girl have contracted the influenza virus. For the unversed, the two new cases in Gurugram come a day after a 4-year-old tested positive for the H3N2 virus. Besides H3N2 cases, COVID infection is also rising across Delhi-NCR, following which government and senior administrative officers in Noida have ordered the Health Department to take stock of the situation at the micro level to deal with the infection, along with surveillance, testing and monitoring and identifying virus clusters.

H3N2, COVID Cases on Rise in Delhi-NCR: Here’s Your 10-Point Cheatsheet

1. Earlier last week, Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that all hospitals and government healthcare centres have been directed to keep a close watch on the influenza (H3N2) and Covid-19 situation in the Capital.
2. Bharadwaj, however, said that there is no need to panic, but it is important to remain vigilant. He asserted that senior citizens, especially people aged 65 years and above, children under five years of age, and those suffering from respiratory diseases need to be a little more cautious to avoid any complications from the infection.
3. In the wake of sudden outbreak of the highly transmissible H3N2 Influenza virus, states including, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat have been put on alert.
4. According to the official data, 9 people have succumbed to H3n2 infection.
5. Amid rising COVID cases in Noida, a 20-bed isolation ward has been made in the district hospital in Sector-39. The Covid helpline number is 1800419211.
6. The number of active Covid-19 cases in Gautam Buddha Nagar district has reached 26, with seven new cases reported in Noida and Greater Noida West in the last 24 hours. Of these, 25 infected individuals have been isolated at their homes, while one is admitted to the hospital.
7. CMO Gautam Buddha Nagar, Sunil Sharma stated that the Health Department is prepared to fight against the infection and all the health centres and doctors have been alerted again.
8. Sampling and contact tracing have been increased and private labs have been instructed to send the samples of positive cases to the department, so that genome sequencing can be done. Significantly, most patients with symptoms of H3N2 influenza are elderly, children and pregnant women.
9. Apart from Delhi and Noida, Maharashtra has been experiencing a gradual increase in Covid-19 infections, but health authorities said there is no cause for alarm as this is owing to the seasonal fluctuations.
10. Till date, the number of ‘active cases’ in the state shot past the 1K-mark to touch 1,308 – up from 107 (February 19) and 123 (January 19).