MUMBAI: As many as 27 people, including 10 children, in the city were detected with swine flu over the weekend, taking the positive cases’ count to 107 since January. This year, over 22% of the affected have been children, some as young as five months.

Experts caution that the H1N1 strain in circulation has been throwing surprises but has been more or less susceptive to the existing treatment protocols. At least three people in the city currently continue to be critical in different hospitals. The BMC added that none are Mumbai residents. The nephew of a senior cabinet minister, who is undergoing treatment at Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli, is also serious.

The 10 children who tested positive were between one and five years of age. Barring a two-year-old boy from Grant Road and another five-year-old from Mahalaxmi who had to be hospitalized, others have been treated on OPD basis and are said to be stable. A pediatrician from a public hospital said those below two years and above the age of 65 years remain most vulnerable.

Dr Om Srivastava, head of infectious diseases at Jaslok Hospital, said the number of serious cases may slightly be coming down. “Most patients are getting treated on OPD basis and responding well. There is also awareness among patients so they are approaching early ,” he said.

At the state-level, over the weekend, five deaths were reported, taking the toll to 58 this year.