Two die from H3N2 influenza in India

A doctor examines a man at the Flu Care Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2021. EPA

An outbreak of influenza in India has killed at least two people, officials say.

A highly contagious strain of the respiratory virus, H3N2, is spreading across the country.

An 82-year-old man died in southern Karnataka and one person died in northern Haryana, health officials confirmed.

H3N2 normally affects birds and pigs but can infect humans, according to the Centres for Disease Control, America's public health agency.

Those infected with the virus show symptoms of fever and upper respiratory infections. They may develop a cough, experience nausea, vomiting, chills as well as sore throat and muscle and body aches.

While cases of respiratory illness and fever started in December last year, the infections have been rapidly increasing.

The Indian Council for Medical Research, the country’s top health sciences body, has confirmed that a majority of the patients are infected with the H3N2.

There are at least 90 cases of the virus across the country, according to multiple media reports.

One of the two fatalities, Hire Gowda, of Hassan in Karnataka, died on March 1. His samples were sent for examination and on March 6, it was confirmed that he was infected with H3N2.

The state has at least 26 positive cases of the virus, Chief Minister K Sudhakar confirmed earlier this week.

Hospitals are receiving more patients with symptoms of the virus.

At least 50 people were reportedly admitted to a hospital on Wednesday in Kanpur city in northern Uttar Pradesh with high fever, persistent cough and shortness of breath.

The ICMR released a list of dos and don’ts including urging people to cover their mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing and avoiding touching their eyes and nose.

The first cases of the virus were reported in North America in April 2009.