The Union health ministry, on Friday, said it is keeping a close watch on the seasonal influenza situation in various states and Union territories on real-time basis through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network and added that the cases are likely to decline by March end.
Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that circulate in all parts of the world, and the cases are seen to increase during certain months globally.
The ministry is also tracking and keeping a close watch on morbidity and mortality due to the H3N2 subtype of Seasonal Influenza.
"Young children and old age persons with co-morbidities are the most vulnerable groups in context of Seasonal Influenza," it observed.
Karnataka and Haryana have confirmed one death each from H3N2 influenza. In Karnataka, 82-year-old Hire Gowda died due to the H3N2 virus on March 1, while in Haryana, a health department official said a 56-year-old man a lung cancer patient who died recently, had tested positive for the H3N2 virus in January.
From January 2 to March 5,451 cases of H3N2 have been reported in the country, according to the data shared by the ministry.
"India every year witnesses two peaks of seasonal influenza: one from Jan to March and other in post-monsoon season. The cases arising from seasonal influenza are expected to decline from March end. State surveillance officers are therefore fully geared to meet this public health challenge," a release from the ministry read.
Oseltamivir is the drug recommended by WHO for the disease and this has been made available through the Public Health System free of cost, the ministry said.
NITI Aayog will hold an inter-ministerial meeting on Saturday to review the situation in the states and for ways to further support them in terms of public health measures, management guidelines and protocols to manage the increasing cases.