An official warning has been given by Delhi health authorities regarding diseases that could be contracted from the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), said to be increasing in China. On Sunday, Dr. Vandana Bagga, Director General of Health Services, met with the chief district medical officers and the state programme officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) to finalise important precautions.
It also covers being ready for HMPV and plenty of other respiratory sicknesses. All health facilities have been advised to submit ILI and SARI incidence through the IHIP Portal. In high risk areas, special measures of transmission-based precautions and precautions for patients that are suspected to have the disease are required.
Healthcare facilities need to report SARI and lab-confirmed influenza cases in addition to keeping an appropriate stock of paracetamol, antihistamine, bronchodilators, cough syrups and oxygen, for managing the illnesses. No spike in respiratory ailments have been witnessed in India till January 2 but respiratory infections in China led to the measures.
Understanding HMPV
As widely known for over 20 years, HMPV is not a new virus and was first described in 2001. As Dr Suresh Gupta, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital clarified this new virus does not usually pose a serious threat to life and it is like affecting the flu season, especially for kids in the winter. Dr. The same view was supported by Bobby Bhalotra, the Senior Consultant at the same hospital who said that previous HMPV cases in India have been mild.
Preventive Measures
Preventing HMPV involves simple hygiene practices: proper hand washing with soap, not coming into contact with the face with dirty hands and reducing contact with sick people.
Delhi has taken several preventive measures towards future possible health risks while protecting citizens from respiratory viruses such as HMPV.
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