India reports first H3N2 influenza deaths, one each from Karnataka and Haryana

Ninety cases of the virus have been reported over the last three months

PTI   |   Bangalore, New Delhi   |    10.03.23 : India has recorded its first two deaths due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2, one each from Karnataka and Haryana, official sources said on Friday.

Ninety cases of H3N2 have been reported over the last three months, they said.

In Karnataka, 82-year-old Hire Gowda died due to the H3N2 virus on March 1, a state health department official said.

"It is confirmed that Hire Gowda, son of Halage Gowda, 82 years, died of H3N2 virus on March 1," the Hassan Disrict Health Officer (DHO) told PTI.

The official said Gowda was a diabetic and suffered from hypertension as well. The patient was admitted to a hospital on February 24 and he died on March 1, and a sample, sent for test, confirmed on March 6 he was infected by the virus, the DHO said.

The sources said another death has been reported from Haryana.

A 56-year-old man from Haryana, a lung cancer patient who died recently, had tested positive for the H3N2 virus in January, a health department official said on Friday.

"As per preliminary information, patient, 56-year-old male, resident of Jind district, died on 08-02-23 at home, was a lung cancer patient. He had tested positive for H3N2 virus in January at PGIMS hospital in Rohtak," the official said.

The official said the patient had tested positive for the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus on January 17.