Flu vaccine needed for some above 65, not all, says ICMR amid surge in H1N1 cases

The H1N1 strain accounts for nearly 98% of Influenza A cases currently detected in India, with H3N2 making up only 2-3% of cases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director-general Rajiv Bahl said on Tuesday (August 25, 2026).

Amid growing concern over a rise in H1N1 infections in several States, Dr. Bahl said there was “absolutely no cause for panic”, stressing that the virus circulating in the country was the familiar H1N1 pdm09 strain that emerged during the 2009 pandemic and has since become a seasonal influenza virus.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said there was no urgent need for the general population to take the seasonal flu vaccine. People aged above 65 and those who are immunocompromised could discuss vaccination with their doctors, he said.