A (HINI) shifting to north Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram:Even as Influenza A (H1N1) spreads unabated in the community in Kerala, a shift in the pattern of the epidemic seems evident, with the epicentre of the infection now shifting to the northern districts.

Public health experts say the current wave of the infection is almost past its peak in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam and the number of cases will start dwindling in about two weeks in these southern districts.

More number of cases is now being confirmed in northern districts, indicating the shift. Nearly 70 per cent of the throat swabs sent to the labs these days have tested positive, indicating that the virus is widespread.

�We are testing only a fraction of cases because testing is a resource-intensive activity and in an epidemic situation, the numbers do not really matter. Hundreds are being infected by the virus daily, but much of it resolves spontaneously. The shift in pattern will indicate that almost all of the population down south has been affected by the virus, a public health expert says.