NEW DELHI: In view of reports indicating a surge in respiratory illness in children in northern China in recent weeks, the Union Health Ministry has proactively decided to review the preparedness measures against respiratory illnesses as a matter of abundant caution.
In a letter to states and UTs, the Union Health Secretary has asked for urgent public health preparedness and surveillance of any surge in respiratory and Covid-19 cases. “This is noted to be important in view of the ongoing influenza and winter season that results in an increase in respiratory illness cases. The government is closely monitoring the situation and there is no need for any alarm,” a Health Ministry statement said on Sunday.
The states and UTs have been advised to immediately review public health and hospital preparedness measures availability of HR, hospital beds, drugs & vaccines for influenza, medical oxygen, antibiotics, personal protective equipment, testing kits and reagents, functionality of oxygen plants and ventilators, and infection control practices.
They have also been directed to implement ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of Covid-19’, shared earlier this year, which provides for integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI). The trends of ILI/SARI are to be closely monitored by the district and state surveillance units of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP), particularly among children and adolescents.
“The data of ILI/SARI is required to be uploaded on IDSP-IHIP portal, particularly from the public health institutions, including medical college hospitals. States are also advised to send nasal and throat swab samples of patients with SARI, particularly of children and adolescents, to Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) for testing for respiratory pathogens,” the ministry said.
Recently, information shared by the WHO has indicated an increase in respiratory illness in northern parts of China. This is predominantly attributed to usual causes like influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia and SARS-CoV-2.