At Least 12 Dead Due To Swine Flu in Russia

Twelve lives were already claimed by the notorious A(H1N1) virus or popularly known as the Swine Flu in Russia. Ever since the epidemic of acute respiratory infection and flu hit Russia in December, a lot of people have been complaining of suffering flu like symptoms across the country.

Four swine flu related deaths were reported in Rostov, southern part of Russia. Five people, who include a child, had died from the disease. Two persons also died in Yekaterinburg and Adygea and a swine flu case was also reported in the northern city of Novy Urengoy last year, as per Newsweek.

"In early December, A(H1N1) strains accounted for four percent of the overall cases," Anna Popova, Russsia's chief sanitary doctor said in a press conference. "The figure grew to seven percent after Dec. 15 and to 24 percent by Jan. 4," she added, "As of today the occurrence of swine flu is 42 percent," TASS reported.

As posted on RT, Tatyana Zasukina, a health official in Saint-Petersburg, said that the number of swine flu cases is higher than before and there have been several deaths among those diagnosed with flu. She furthermore said that those who died were the people who suffered serious complications.

Over 500 people were brought to Russia's northern capital hospital due to flu-like symptoms and it turned out that 120 of them are positive of swine flu. As of Jan. 19, people who has AH1N1 have been recorded in 17 regions across Russia.

The epidemic was first discovered in 1930's and was termed as swine flu for it is very similar to viruses that affect pigs. Symptoms of swine flu include cough and fever, which lead to rapid pneumonia and possible respiratory failure. It is very contagious and spreads the same as a seasonal flu. It is recommended that people should see a doctor immediately after symptoms were diagnosed.

In 2009, more than 150,000 people died from the same epidemic. In 2015 India was hit by the virus and affected 31,000 people which killed more than 8,000 people.