Around 103 fresh cases of Seasonal Influenza H1N1 were reported in the National Capital on Thursday taking the total to 1,196 this year, revealed the data released by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

“A total of 1196 cases have been reported in the city. Most of the cases belong to co-morbid conditions like diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and low immunity,” said Dr Raheja, senior official, DGHS. 

The DGHS report had also mentioned deaths of five more persons from co-morbidity.

 As the cases are on rise in the city, Delhi’s Health Minister, Satyender Jain, directed all Delhi government hospitals to provide free of cost treatment facilities from tests to medicines to all the patients of the disease, on Thursday.

“A meeting between the health minister, all zonal officers and various hospitals was held in which the hospitals were directed to provide free of cost treatment to all the patients,” said Dr Raheja.

According to him, the meeting was held to discuss the various arrangements and preventions that could be taken to lower down the number.

“In the meeting, it was found that a total of 43,000 dosages of Oseltamivir and 23,000 dosages of other medicines are also available,” he said.

The Health Department of Delhi also issued a public advisory on Thursday.

According to the advisory, Children with mild illness but with predisposing risk factors, pregnant women, people aged 65 years or older, patients with lung diseases, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS are the most vulnerable to the disease.

The advisory said the common symptoms of the flu are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and difficulty in breathing however the flu can be prevented by avoiding any direct or indirect physical contact with the person infected as the flu is highly contagious.

The symptoms may include body aches, headache, fatigue, chills, diarrhoea and vomiting and Blood Stained Sputum (a mixture of mucus and saliva), it said further.

Influenza H1N1 can be categorized into three types but the most dangerous type of the H1N1 Influenza is Category C. In this category of Influenza, the common symptoms are breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, fall in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood and bluish discolouration of nails.

However, the flu can be prevented by taking various measures.