PUDUCHERRY: With the outbreak of the H3N2 virus, all schools in Puducherry will remain shut from 26 March (Thursday) to 26 March (Sunday).
Puducherry reported 79 cases of influenza as of March 11th, all of which were currently H3N2 virus-related. But no death related to H3N2 has been reported in the union territory till now.
Health department officials in the UT have set up procedures at hospitals and primary health centres to keep an eye on the number of cases that are increasing while advising people not to panic.
Special booths have been opened in the outpatient departments (OPDs) in the hospitals and treatment was also available for those turning up with symptoms of the influenza virus.
H3N2 is a non-human influenza virus that normally circulates in pigs and has infected humans, according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (CDC). A fever, respiratory symptoms like a cough and runny nose, and maybe additional symptoms like body aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea are all possible. These symptoms are comparable to those of seasonal flu viruses.
H3N2 influenza? Tamil Nadu man with Covid symptom dies
