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Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post as the Minister of Education of India, and that has come after protests erupted across the country. The youth of India, backed by activist Sonam Wangchuk and the meme political party Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), undertook countrywide protests to demand his resignation. Amid all this, one celebrity who has been continuously and consistently spotted in the crowd of protestors was actor Shabana Azmi.
Despite the heat and having suffered from asthma attacks during the protest, the 75-year-old has been a constant at the protests, backing the students and protestors. However, she had to skip the protests today as she was recently diagnosed with H1N1, aka swine flu.
Sharing an image of herself from the protest,
Shabana Azmi took to Instagram to break the news of her diagnosis and wrote, “My dear Mumbaikars, I was meant to join your protest yesterday, but I’ve come down with H1N1 and need to remain in isolation for the next five days. Even so, I want to express my solidarity and appreciation.”
“I’m receiving first-hand reports from the young people on the ground. Many of them have taken part in a protest for the first time and have experienced how much their voice counts. I continue to be inspired by your courage and commitment and stand by you in solidarity,” the actress further wrote in her long note.
The actor’s team also released a statement, which read, “Shabana ji was meant to go to the protest today, but she has contracted swine flu with a 102-degree fever and has been advised to rest by the doctor.”
She is not the first person to be diagnosed with swine flu. In fact, earlier this week, Nagpur reported its first confirmed swine flu death of the year, raising alarms as H1N1 cases surge sharply in July.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Swine Flu and its spread in India:
What is swine flu aka H1N1?
The Department of Health and Welfare Services in India define swine flu as a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.
The first confirmed case of swine flu H1N1 in India was documented in May 2009, but huge numbers of cases were reported thereafter. In 2015, a swine flu outbreak in India led to significant morbidity and mortality.
Is this swine flu contagious?
Yes. This swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. According to Mayo Clinic, H1N1 infect the cells that line your nose, throat and lungs. The virus spreads through the air in droplets released when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, breathes or talks. It enters the body when a person breathes in the contaminated air. It can also enter the body if someone touches a contaminated surface and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth. It is important to note that one can’t catch swine flu from eating pork.
What are the Symptoms of H1N1?
The symptoms of flu caused by H1N1 are similar to those of other flu viruses. They begin to develop about 1 to 4 days after you’re exposed to the virus.
- Fever, but not always.
- Aching muscles.
- Chills and sweats.
- Cough.
- Sore throat.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Watery, red eyes.
- Eye pain.
- Body aches.
- Headache.
- Tiredness and weakness.
- Diarrhea.
- Feeling sick to the stomach, vomiting, but this is more common in children than adults.
Emergency H1N1 symptoms in children can include:
- Trouble breathing
- Pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds depending on skin color
- Chest pain
- Dehydration
- Severe muscle pain
- Seizures
- Worsening of existing medical conditions
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