Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Delhi Reports Six-Fold Spike In H1N1 Cases Among Children
Lots of kids in Delhi are getting sick with a flu called H1N1, also known as swine flu.
This year, six times more people have caught it compared to last year.
Some doctors say about one in every three people they test has the sickness.
Many children seem to catch it from their friends at school and in their neighbourhood.
H1N1 makes you feel very sick very quickly with a high fever, cough, and body aches.
Sometimes it can be dangerous, especially if a child has trouble breathing or is very sleepy.
Parents can help by getting their children a flu vaccine every year.
Washing hands with soap for 20 seconds and staying away from sick people also helps.
If a child shows symptoms, parents should get them tested and keep them at home.
Delhi has reported 1,449 H1N1 cases so far this year, a six-fold increase from 229 cases in the same period last year, according to NCDC data.
Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed dedicated wards have been set up at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital.
Doctors report a rise in infections among children, with one in three patients sent for testing coming back positive.
A viral Instagram video by mom influencer Navya Vachher said the situation is bad, with flu medicines unavailable near her and 15-16 positive cases among her daughter's classmates.
Experts advise annual flu vaccination for children over 6 months, regular hand hygiene, and avoiding contact with people showing respiratory symptoms.
- Who
- Children in Delhi and their parents; Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh; Dr Vandana Garg, Director of Internal Medicine at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali, Ghaziabad.
- What
- A sharp six-fold rise in H1N1 (swine flu) cases, with 1,449 cases recorded in Delhi so far this year and a growing number of cases among children.
- When
- So far this year, compared with the same period last year; no specific dates were given in the article.
- Where
- Delhi, the national capital, with dedicated wards at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital; testing also reported at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Ghaziabad.
- Why
- An H1N1 outbreak with a high positivity rate among those tested, spreading among children at school and in neighbourhoods, leaving parents struggling to find medicines.
- Total H1N1 cases in Delhi this year
- 1,449
- Cases in same period last year
- 229
- Increase
- Six-fold
- Test positivity rate
- 1 in 3 patients tested
- Dedicated hospital wards
- Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital
- Reported symptoms
- Sudden high fever, dry cough, intense body aches, extreme fatigue
- Key prevention advice
- Annual flu vaccine, hand hygiene, avoiding sick contacts, cough etiquette