If a recent Lancet study is to be believed India grossly
underestimated the might of the swine flu pandemic. A US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, study with
help from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS),
Delhi, to be published in the medical journal Lancet on Tuesday
says the deaths caused by H1N1 pandemic flu in its first year
(2009-10) could be 15 times than the official numbers reported
by WHO. During the pandemic of 2009 18,500 H1N1 deaths were
confirmed world from April 2009 to August 2010. Actual death
toll anywhere between 1.5 to 6 lakhs? This research suggests
that toll could have been anywhere between 1.5 to 6 lakhs during
the first year when the virus was rampant around the country.
The study also suggests that 80% of the people who died were
under the age of 65, though regular seasonal influenza only
kills people above that age group. The study goes on to suggest
that 51% of the deaths may have occurred in South East. The
scientists say, “China and India,