Mumbai, March 08: The Adenovirus or H3N2 scare continues to grip Karnataka's Bengaluru, with a total number of 17 cases in the city and 37 in the state overall. The National Institute of Virology has reported these numbers. Adenovirus are a group of viruses that spread through aerosol (droplets). Children below the age group of two are more vulnerable to this disease. "Children below the age of 15 years face more danger from the H3N2 variant. It also infects persons over 60 years," said Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

Dr Rajath Athreya, senior consultant and HOD, paediatrics and neonatology, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, told Times of India, "Over three weeks, we have seen a huge uptick in adenovirus cases. In the past two months, we have had 21 confirmed positive cases. In the OPD and ER, we get 30-odd children daily who may have such infections. Admitted kids with flu or adenovirus symptoms are being tested through throat swabs. We are admitting 3-4 such kids every day."

The Health Minister of Karnataka, Dr Sudhakar, also said that a total of 60 cases of Adenovirus, which causes acute respiratory infections (ARI), were found in Karnataka. Adenovirus: Dos and Don'ts for Preventing the Respiratory Infection That Caused Death of 12 Children in West Bengal.

According to health experts, the main symptoms of the virus are fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, body aches, and sometimes even vomiting/diarrhoea. The H3N2 variant affects the respiratory system the most. What Is Adenovirus? Seven Children Die of Respiratory Infection in West Bengal; Know Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Preventive Measures of Flu-Like Illness.

Because the virus is new, very few labs in the state can detect the virus. While some of the doctors in Bengaluru are saying there is no reason to be scared, the H3N2 spread in West Bengal has indeed created havoc, with a total of 40 deaths in nine days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2023 10:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).