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There is a need for increased monitoring and precautionary measures to ward off H3N2 but no cause for panic yet, say experts as India confirms its first two deaths due to the influenza virus.

In Karnataka, 78-year-old Hiregowda. a diabetic who suffered from hypertension died due to the H3N2 seasonal influenza subtype on March 1. Another death, that of a 56-year-old lung cancer patient, was reported from Haryana.

From January 2 to March 5, 451 cases of the H3N2 have been reported in the country, according to data shared by the ministry on Friday. It also said it is keeping a close watch on the situation and cases are expected to decline from month end.

H3N2 is a non-human influenza virus that normally circulates in pigs and has infected humans, according to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu viruses and can include fever and respiratory symptoms such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, including body ache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.

As concerns mounted and some people wondered whether this could possibly turn out to be another Covid, pulmonologist Anurag Agrawal said he doesn’t expect to see a massive wave.

"Admission to hospital has not been very common and only about 5 per cent cases have been reported to be hospitalised," added Tarun Sahani, senior consultant, internal medicine, Apollo Hospitals.

While there is no need to panic yet, Sahani said it is advisable to take precautions similar to those taken during Covid times.

"... if most of the infected people recover albeit slow, it should be fine," virologist Upasana Ray, an alumni member of the Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS) and member of Global Young Academy (GYA), told PTI.

She noted that lockdowns and extensive use of masks for extended periods of time helped control transmission of more virulent versions of the virus, but also prevented good exposure of regular seasonal respiratory viruses.

"Due to at least two years of elaborate, expansive use of masks, we might have lost part of our immunity against the versions of these other respiratory viruses that are now getting transmitted," Ray argued.

According to Agrawal, H3N2 outbreaks can "indeed cause death" and are more severe than regular flu.

"Since there is general immunity to flu and vaccines exist, I wouldn’t expect to see a massive wave but yes, all outbreaks and deaths are of some concern," Agrawal, the dean of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, told PTI.

Sahani noted that India is witnessing a huge spike in H3N2 cases since the start of 2023.

"The incidence is two to three times higher than usually seen at this time of the year. This virus is known to be a subtype of Influenza A virus which is common at this time of the year," Sahani told PTI.

Though the Covid pandemic seems to be ending, the spate of respiratory illnesses continues among adults with a significant number being infected with influenza viruses such as H3N2, adenovirus and H1N1.

According to the latest data available on IDSP-IHIP (Integrated Health Information Platform), a total of 3,038 laboratory-confirmed cases of various subtypes of Influenza including H3N2 have been reported till March 9 by the states.

This includes 1,245 cases in January, 1,307 in February and 486 cases in March till 9th, it said.

The Union Health Ministry is keeping a close watch on the seasonal influenza situation in various states/UTs through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network on a real-time basis.

Agrawal said flu surveillance is an important part of public health.

"In coming times we will have better combined respiratory virus surveillance," Agrawal, the former director of the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology noted.

Ray agreed, saying disease monitoring is urgently needed to address the situation. 

Indians erupted in celebration on Monday, March 13, after Naatu Naatu, the breakout hit from the action movie RRR, won the Academy Award for best original song, making history as the first movie from the country to win the honour.

The song - a fast-paced number that has found fans all over the world, spawned a TikTok challenge and has millions of views on YouTube - won a standing ovation when it was performed at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Indians had won Oscars previously, but no Indian film had won an Academy Award before Sunday night in Los Angles. RRR and The Elephant Whisperers, which won best documentary short film, gave the country two Oscar-winning films in one night.

"No words can describe this surreal moment. Dedicating this to all our amazing fans across the world. THANK YOU!!," the Twitter account for RRR posted.

Television showed images of people dancing to the song in the streets, minutes after the award was announced, even as #NaatuNaatu was a top trend on Twitter.

"The popularity of Naatu Naatu is global. It will be a song that will be remembered for years to come," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter, congratulating the team behind the song.

"Entire India is proud. They have brought India to the world stage," singer Prudhvi Chandra, one of the singers of Naatu Naatu, told the India Today.

In the Telugu film directed by S.S. Rajamouli, Naatu Naatu begins when the two leads, played by Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., flaunt their dance skills after being bullied as the only Indian people invited to a British party in colonial times.

When a young British man aims racist insults at the leads, they decide to educate him using the song Naatu Naatu.

During the scene, which was filmed at Ukraine’s grand Mariinskyi Palace, everyone at the party, including the scoffing British man, tries to master the moves.

At the Oscars, composer M.M. Keeravani burst into song while accepting the award on stage, along with songwriter Chandrabose.

"I feel this is about just the beginning of everything so that the world -- particularly the Western World -- focuses more on Indian music and Asian music, which is long due," Keeravani said backstage after winning the award.

The Elephant Whisperers is about a couple in South India who adopt a baby elephant and care for him.

Mangaluru, Mar 18: A male passenger who had arrived by an international flight was caught smuggling gold by concealing it in the diaper of his 21-month old daughter at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) in a recent incident, a customs release here said on Saturday.

The gold, in the form of paste, was kept in pouches inside the diaper. However, it was detected by officials during checking.

In another incident, a male passenger had hidden the gold in paste form and tied it across his waist like a belt. Another person hid gold in paste form in his rectum.

In all, customs officials at the MIA have seized 1,606 gm of gold worth Rs 90.67 lakh from March 1 to 15 this year, the release said. All the three passengers have been arrested and further investigations are on.