H9N2 Virus Among Children, Has Connection With Winter: Expert

After the Union Health Ministry recently said that it is closely monitoring the reported outbreak of H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness in children, the Director of Lady Harding Hospital, Dr Subhash Giri reiterated to take precautions and said that the H9N2 virus is spreading among children and it has connection with winter.

Dr Subhash Giri, Director of Lady Harding Hospital, said, “At present, in China, the children who are born in this period or the children who are not exposed to the other viruses except COVID. Their immunity to the other routine viruses that caused the URI is far lower. It includes the immunity for influenza as well, and when the serotype is changed to H9N2, the immunity is still very low in these cases.”

H9N2 has stirred quite a lot of news in China, especially where children are being admitted with pneumonia. The reason for the H9N2 infection in China is that there was a lockdown due to COVID over there and the lockdown was strictly being followed by the government and people had to follow all the instructions of the government.

“The children who do not have any immunity if they get exposed to H9N2, which is quite a contagious virus that is spreading and added to that where the immunity is lower, the probability of developing pneumonia is very high. Routinely, influenza is present with upper respiratory tract infections, throat infections, rhinitis, cough pain, body aches, and fever. But where the immunity is lower, the probability of developing pneumonia is very high. And that is what is being seen in China,” added Dr Giri.

H9N2 is a serotype influenza virus. The influenza virus is a common virus that comes at the end of the season, especially when there is the onset of winter.

“The difference over here is that routinely during the winter we have various viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections. In China, one virus has become quite prevalent; that stereotype is H9N2. The difference is that when we talk about our society in India, we have routine viruses, which are, accordingly, viral throat infections, upper respiratory tract infections, and viral fever,” said Dr Giri.

Notably, at the onset of winter, pain in the throat has been witnessed in many patients which is similar to the other routine virus and it is not H9N2. As of date, the Indian government has also taken swift action; this virus has not been isolated yet and people need not be worried or panicked about whether this virus will come to India or not.

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