According to the latest data from National Centre for Disease Control (NCCD),  the number of swine flu-H1N1 cases had dropped in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by 10 percent and 67 percent respectively, when compared to incidence data from the past few years.

This reduction is as a result of the precautions taken by the public to fight the deadly coronavirus in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Notably, This gives some respite to the overburdened health authorities. They believe that mandated precautionary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 may have had an unexpected impact on the spread of other communicable diseases.

According to the data, till the end of September, Andhra Pradesh has reported 32 H1N1 cases and two deaths, while last year the total number of cases reported were 333 with 15 deaths.  The first case of swine flu in the current calendar year was reported in Anantapur district. The data also shows that AP reported 12 cases and five deaths in 2016. The state, however, saw a massive hike in H1N1 cases in the following years: 476 cases and 14 deaths in 2017 and 402 cases and 17 deaths in 2018 and later dropped to 333 cases with 15 deaths in 2019.

Likewise, Telangana reported 446 cases and five deaths till September 30. The state has seen a massive drop in the number of cases with a reduced rate of 67 percent when compared to incidence data of 2019 – 1,388 cases and 22 deaths. In 2016, it stood at 166 cases and 10 deaths, followed by 2,165 cases and 21 deaths in 2017 and 1007 cases and 28 deaths in 2018.

Highly pathogenic Bird flu outbreak among poultry, South Korea

US coronavirus death record prompts urgent calling for masking, stay-at-home orders

'Not Certain' if the vaccine will prevent Covid 19 transmission, Pfizer CEO