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NEW DELHI: Even as the swine flu storm rages through India, Pune is taking the worst battering. Almost 65% (14 out of 22) of the H1N1 deaths in
India have been in the city. Nor is it looking any better now after the first rash of cases. In fact, Union health ministry officials fear ‘‘clusters of H1N1’’ are emerging in the city, which means that large groups of people from certain localities could start getting infected even if they don’t have any travel history.
The larger question — raised by both officials and ordinary people — about this localized crisis is: why Pune? What went wrong there for the flu infection to virtually spin out of control? The answer lies in a combination of reasons that includes administrative lapse as well as some climatic features peculiar to Pune.
According to scientists from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, the state government failed in the early stages to put in place an effective ‘‘contact-tracing programme’’ — that is, tracing down each and every person who has come in contact with those who tested positive.
They say the answer lies in a combination of reasons that includes administrative lapse as well as some climatic features that are peculiar to Pune.
The protocol for the contact-tracing programme is laid down. Delhi, for instance, is said to have followed it closely and that’s helped it to keep the virulent edge of the flu under control. Records show that out of 6,249 people found to have symptoms and then tested for swine flu, 1,107 were identified through contact tracing. ‘‘The state (Maharashtra) didn’t take contact tracing seriously. By the time it started, the virus had already got entrenched in Pune and had spread,’’ Union health ministry officials said. NICD director Dr Shiv Lal added, ‘‘We are working towards scientifically establishing why Pune is worst hit.’’
Director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research Dr V M Katoch said he was fairly certain that the virus started circulating in Pune much before the first positive case of infection was reported in the city on June 22 when a 24-year-old tested positive after returning from US. Dr Katoch said the virus’s spread was because the community in Pune didn’t take the threat seriously. ‘‘They didn’t report early nor did they visit the designated government hospitals for H1N1 testing. Crucial time was therefore lost in controlling the virus’s spread,’’ he said.
The larger question — raised by both officials and ordinary people — about this localized crisis is: why Pune? What went wrong there for the flu infection to virtually spin out of control? The answer lies in a combination of reasons that includes administrative lapse as well as some climatic features peculiar to Pune.
According to scientists from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, the state government failed in the early stages to put in place an effective ‘‘contact-tracing programme’’ — that is, tracing down each and every person who has come in contact with those who tested positive.
They say the answer lies in a combination of reasons that includes administrative lapse as well as some climatic features that are peculiar to Pune.
The protocol for the contact-tracing programme is laid down. Delhi, for instance, is said to have followed it closely and that’s helped it to keep the virulent edge of the flu under control. Records show that out of 6,249 people found to have symptoms and then tested for swine flu, 1,107 were identified through contact tracing. ‘‘The state (Maharashtra) didn’t take contact tracing seriously. By the time it started, the virus had already got entrenched in Pune and had spread,’’ Union health ministry officials said. NICD director Dr Shiv Lal added, ‘‘We are working towards scientifically establishing why Pune is worst hit.’’
Director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research Dr V M Katoch said he was fairly certain that the virus started circulating in Pune much before the first positive case of infection was reported in the city on June 22 when a 24-year-old tested positive after returning from US. Dr Katoch said the virus’s spread was because the community in Pune didn’t take the threat seriously. ‘‘They didn’t report early nor did they visit the designated government hospitals for H1N1 testing. Crucial time was therefore lost in controlling the virus’s spread,’’ he said.
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