New Delhi: Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has asked the health and family welfare department to monitor trends and make arrangements in the city to deal with any infection from the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) after two such cases were detected in Karnataka.
He instructed the health department to monitor trends nationwide. The officials will have to maintain communication with the Union health ministry for regular updates regarding the capital’s preparedness.
In accordance with Union health ministry guidelines, it is essential for hospitals under govt of NCT Delhi to be sufficiently prepared for any increase in respiratory ailments.
He stressed the need for swift action, advocating direct telephone communication for urgent instructions.
Additionally, Bharadwaj instructed the health secretary to conduct daily inspections of three hospitals and submit reports covering the EDL List, medicine and ICU bed availability, equipment conditions, PSA plant status, and data entry operator presence.
Previously, Dr Vandana Bagga, director general of health services (DGHS), GNCTD, announced that an advisory was distributed to all GNCTD hospitals.
The advisory concerns prompt reporting of influenza-like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases through the IHIP portal, maintaining detailed records of SARI cases and laboratory-confirmed influenza cases.
It also addresses strict isolation protocols, universal precautions during treatment, and coordination with private facilities regarding essential medical supplies. The public can reach the DGHS helpline at 011-22307145 or 011-22300012.
Updates or feedback should be sent via email to the public health division of DGHS at phw4delhi@yahoo.com. Govt continues to monitor the situation attentively through various channels, including coordination with NCDC and WHO for updates regarding conditions in China. The administration assured that there was no immediate reason for concern, and public health remains their top priority.
