Shabana Azmi has tested positive for H1N1, also known as swine flu, after actively participating in student protests at Jantar Mantar concerning the NEET paper leak. H1N1 is a type of influenza A virus that can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, and poses higher risks to vulnerable groups. Symptoms can be varied and may not always include fever, with emergency signs requiring immediate medical attention. Unlike common colds, H1N1 can severely affect the lungs, potentially causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or a dangerous cytokine storm. Studies also indicate an increased risk of vascular complications such as blood clots and cardiovascular events with severe H1N1 infections.

Shabana Azmi has tested positive for H1N1, also known as swine flu, after actively participating in student protests at Jantar Mantar concerning the NEET paper leak. H1N1 is a type of influenza A virus that can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, and poses higher risks to vulnerable groups. Symptoms can be varied and may not always include fever, with emergency signs requiring immediate medical attention. Unlike common colds, H1N1 can severely affect the lungs, potentially causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or a dangerous cytokine storm. Studies also indicate an increased risk of vascular complications such as blood clots and cardiovascular events with severe H1N1 infections.

Shabana Azmi has tested positive for H1N1, also known as swine flu, after actively participating in student protests at Jantar Mantar concerning the NEET paper leak. H1N1 is a type of influenza A virus that can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, and poses higher risks to vulnerable groups. Symptoms can be varied and may not always include fever, with emergency signs requiring immediate medical attention. Unlike common colds, H1N1 can severely affect the lungs, potentially causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or a dangerous cytokine storm. Studies also indicate an increased risk of vascular complications such as blood clots and cardiovascular events with severe H1N1 infections.

Veteran actress and activist Shabana Azmi has tested positive for H1N1. The actor had been actively showing up at the student protests held at Jantar Mantar seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET paper leak. 

The 75-year-old has extended her support to the protesters even as doctors advised her to stay away from the ground. 

What is H1N1? 

Swine flu (H1N1) is a type of viral infection. It's called swine flu because it resembles a respiratory infection that pigs can get. It is a type of influenza A virus. 

It could be life-threatening when it leads to severe complications like pneumonia or respiratory failure, and key groups at high risk include young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses. 

In 2009, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared H1N1 flu to be a pandemic. Around 2,84,400 deaths were reported worldwide due to the spread. 

What are the symptoms of H1N1? 

The tricky part of the infection is that it need not always cause fever. 

Aching muscles, chills and sweats, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes, headache, body aches, eye pain, diarrhoea, tiredness and weakness are the main symptoms. 

Meanwhile, emergency symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, ongoing dizziness, signs of dehydration, seizures, and severe muscle pain. 

Why is swine flu not just another fever? 

Though H1N1 shares basic symptoms with a routine cold or seasonal flu, its underlying pathology can escalate into a severe crisis far more rapidly. 

Unlike typical seasonal viruses that primarily target the upper respiratory tract (causing a runny nose and scratchy throat), H1N1 has a high affinity for cells deep inside the lungs. It can trigger viral pneumonia directly, causing the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid. This can progress to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or severe respiratory failure within a matter of days

In young people with robust immune systems, H1N1 can trigger a massive, uncontrolled overreaction known as a cytokine storm. The body floods the lungs with inflammatory cells to fight the virus, but the response is so violent that the immune system inadvertently destroys healthy lung tissue, leading to sudden organ failure.

Studies have shown that severe swine flu infections dramatically elevate systemic inflammation, making it a unique trigger for vascular complications. It significantly increases the risk of pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and acute cardiovascular events like heart attacks.

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