INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked all states and Union territories to immediately review public health and hospital preparedness in the wake
of a rise in respiratory illness in children in China
manpower, hospital beds, drugs and vaccines for influenza and medical oxygen to deal with a potential surge in respiratory illness.They have
also been advised to review the availability of personal protective equipment, testing kits and reagents, functionality of oxygen plants and
ventilators, and infection control practices in health facilities.The first outbreak of Covid-19 was also reported from China in December
Later, the disease engulfed most of the world, including India, and caused the loss of lakhs of lives globally.Many public health
specialists accused China of trying to suppress or delay sharing of information about the outbreak which led to confusion and delayed
response and allowed the disease to spread globally
Cases of swine flu or influenza or respiratory syncytial virus are commonly seen across the globe in small communities
of the critical care department at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai.The main effect of Covid-19 was seen on the lungs
Because the current wave of illness being reported from China is also causing respiratory symptoms mainly, all states and UTs have been
provides for integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza like illness (ILI) and severe acute
respiratory illness (SARI).The states - UTs have also been asked to ensure that the trends of ILI/SARI should be closely monitored by the
district and state surveillance units of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP), particularly of children and adolescents.States
have also been asked to send nasal and throat swab samples of patients with SARI, particularly of children and adolescents, to the virus
research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) in the states for testing for respiratory pathogens, said an official.Some reports suggest the
surge in respiratory illness in China is being caused by the co-existence of multiple viral infections, for example influenza, respiratory
syncytial virus and SARS-CoV2
The WHO has already made an official request to China for detailed information on the same
The UN health body has requested China for epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results from these reported
