A 41 year old man has died from swine flu (H1N1) in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka.
According to local media reports, the affected individual was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Mangaluru on Sunday evening, where he passed away. The hospital is located in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, approximately 345 kilometers from the state capital, Bengaluru.
Tests conducted at the hospital confirmed that the patient was suffering from swine flu.
According to a health official, following confirmation of the disease, authorities have begun monitoring the deceased individual’s close family members and people who had been in contact with him in order to detect any possible infection and prevent the spread of the virus.
Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by a strain of the Influenza A virus known as H1N1. The virus generally spreads through droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes in close proximity to others.
Health experts say that, like seasonal flu, the disease can spread rapidly in crowded places, schools, offices, public transport, and hospitals.
Health experts have warned that swine flu can be particularly dangerous for elderly individuals, pregnant women, young children, people with chronic illnesses, and those with weakened immune systems.
