NEW DELHI, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Medical Association (IMA), a body of doctors of modern medicine in India, on Wednesday warned against self-medicating with antibiotics amid a surge in H1N1 cases.
The IMA said the misuse of drugs such as azithromycin and cefixime can fuel antimicrobial resistance.
It added that there was no evidence of a new genetic mutation in the virus currently circulating in India.
The public health advisory comes as India's national capital territory Delhi has reported over 1,770 laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases, with infections also being reported from Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal.
"The majority of H1N1 infections are mild and self-limiting. While heightened vigilance is necessary, there is no cause for panic," the doctors' body said.
According to the IMA, H1N1 flu is a viral illness, and antibiotics do not kill viruses. ■