China
20:56, 28-Jul-2017
Indian doctors try to stop H1N1 outbreak
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Doctors and health officials in India are combating the outbreak of H1N1 cases across the country since late last year.
With over 600 deaths so far, 12,000 cases were registered by the month of July in 2017. This is a significant increase from last year, when the swine flu claimed the lives of 265 people.
Doctors said that a regular flu vaccine can protect most people from the sickness, which costs about 7 US dollars. What is alarming for many about the H1N1 outbreak this year is that almost 40 percent of the deaths are among healthy people, aged between 20 and 50.
The Indian government has said it is closely monitoring the influenza outbreak and has stepped up the supply of the swine flu drug, Tamiflu, at all licensed pharmacies. Before July, only government approved pharmacies could stock and sell the drug.
The immediate goal is to contain the spread of the virus, to ensure it doesn't become similar to the pandemic of 2009 when over 1000 people lost their lives.