Delhi

Not Many Influenza Cases But Will Conduct Early Screening: Delhi Health Minister

H3N2 cases: Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the city government has no plan for making masks mandatory

Published

on

Many Influenza cases are being registered this time in parts of the country

New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday (March 17) said the city government has directed authorities to conduct early screening to detect cases of influenza in the national capital. Addressing a press conference, he said though the peak of seasonal influenza is usually over by March, a large number of cases are being registered this time in parts of the country. Mr Bharadwaj also said that the city government has no plan for making masks mandatory. The focus is on taking precautionary measures such as avoiding public places, washing hands etc, he added.

Also Read: Delhi Hospitals Witnessing Spike In H3N2 Virus Cases, Say Doctors: Report

People who have had severe asthma or Covid are among those impacted the most by influenza. Extra precaution is needed for those aged above 65, children below five years of age and those suffering from lung diseases, he said.

The Delhi health minister said the Centre has issued Covid advisory for six states but Delhi is not on the list.

However, we are issuing an advisory to check the spread of influenza. The precautionary measures to be followed in case of influenza and Covid are the same, Mr Bharadwaj said.

“Instructions have been issued to district surveillance units, health facilities and government hospitals authorities to monitor the situation on a daily basis. All districts have been asked to ensure early screening to detect cases,” he said.

Mr Bharadwaj said there are not many influenza cases in Delhi hospitals and the situation is being monitored closely.

The government will issue advertisements in newspapers and on FM radio channels to create awareness, the health minister said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that the rise in influenza cases is due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus.

The H3N2 virus is leading to more hospitalisations than other subtypes. The symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough and fever.

Also Read: It Is Time India Takes Lead In Realising ‘One Earth, One Health’ Vision: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ populationindigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (WaterSanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollutionwaste managementplastic banmanual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Exit mobile version