Hyderabad: Eight of the 16 confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza have been reported from Andhra Pradesh, but it is also true that six of the eight have already gone home, completely cured of the virus.
After more than a week in isolation, 6-year-old Dhanya was discharged on Friday from the chest hospital in Hyderabad along with her mother. This happened even as another 6-year-old who came in from New York on June 9 on an Air India flight became the eight confirmed case of H1N1 influenza being reported from Hyderabad.
"I will go home and play with my sister," says Dhanya.
Says Dr Subhakar, in-charge of H1N1 centre, AP government chest hospital: "We are screening passengers the three rows before and the three after this passenger. Altogether there were 20 passengers, we have indentified and DMHO made several medical teams to visit the houses of passengers.''
Doctors say it is wrong to presume that Andhra Pradesh is a hub for the H1 N1 virus just because a majority of the H1N1 cases have been reported from here. They say it is more a case of statistical probability.
"Most of software professionals in US are from Andhra Pradesh. It is also holiday time for children in school. So many people are coming home for holidays and probably they are carrying the virus along with their baggage,'' adds Dr Subhakar.
The summer heat is a blessing in disguise. Experts are saying that because of the heat the H1 N1 virus may not spread so fast in India. But with winter not far away, there is reason for worry, specially in north India.