Karachi hospitals report surge in flu cases as H1N1 strain circulates

As winter sets in, major public hospitals in Karachi have seen a visible spike in flu patients brought in for treatment. Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) reported around 400 cases of influenza, a more dangerous variant of the common flu, this year, with the H1N1 strain infecting residents. Professor Dr Faisal Mahmood, section head of Infectious Diseases at AKUH, said the H1N1 strain — also known as swine flu for its similarity with the influenza virus known for infecting pigs — was currently circulating in Karachi. He stressed that vaccination was an important preventive measure and urged older people, children and those with weakened immune systems to get vaccinated against the contagious respiratory infectious disease.