The end of the monsoon season has once again resulted in a spurt of cases of swine influenza, also knows as swine flu, across India. Pune is the worse affected city in the country. 226 people were affected by the H1N1 infection killing 9 between June and September this year. According to reports, four people died in September alone in Pune.

In Madhya Pradesh, over a hundred persons have tested positive for swine flu so far, with 19 persons dead so far this year. At Indore, a lady doctor in Indore was tested positive a week ago for H1N1 virus, authorities said. In Bhopal alone, the infection has claimed 10 lives. Indore, Ujjain and Gwalior account for six, two and one deaths respectively, sources said. Swine flu cases have also been reported from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and other parts of the country.

The flu virus spreads mainly from person to person through coughing, sneezing or talking to people with influenza. Its symptoms include unusual tiredness, severe headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or cough, sudden loss of appetite, aching muscles, diarrhoea or vomiting. If you have flu-like symptoms, stay at home, get plenty of rest and use the prescribed pain killers. If flu stays for three days, see a doctor and undergo H1N1 test.