New Delhi: In view of reports about rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks, India is keeping a close watch over the situation through all available channels and has also requested the WHO to share timely updates, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
As a precautionary measure, the number of laboratories testing HMPV cases will be enhanced and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will monitor trends of HMPV for the entire year, it said.
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Union Health Ministry convenes Joint Monitoring Group Meeting in view of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks
Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in China through all available channels and the @WHO has been…
A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Directorate General of Health Services here on Saturday to discuss the situation.
According to a media statement issued by the ministry, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Disaster Management (DM) Cell, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) Division, and hospitals, including AIIMS, Delhi participated in the meeting.
"After detailed discussions and based on the currently available information, several points were agreed upon. The situation in China is not unusual in view of the ongoing flu season. The reports also suggest that the cause of the present surge is the Influenza virus, RSV and HMPV - the usual pathogens that are expected during the season," the statement added.
"The government is keeping a close watch over the situation through all available channels and WHO has also been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation in China. These viruses are already in circulation globally including India," the statement added.
According to the statement, a robust surveillance system for Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) Influenza is already in place in India through both ICMR and IDSP networks and the data from both indicates no unusual surge in ILI & SARI cases.
"Physicians from hospitals also confirmed that there has been no surge in respiratory illness cases in the last few weeks other than the expected seasonal variation.
ICMR network also tests for other respiratory viruses such as Adenovirus, RSV, HMPV etc. and these pathogens also do not show an unusual increase in the tested samples," the Health Ministry said.
"As a precautionary measure, the number of laboratories testing for HMPV will be enhanced by ICMR, and ICMR will be monitoring trends of HMPV for the entire year. Data from the recently conducted preparedness drill across the Country indicated that the Country is well prepared to deal with any increase in respiratory illnesses. The health systems and surveillance networks remain vigilant, ensuring the country is ready to respond promptly to any emerging health challenges," the Health Ministry added.
(With agency inputs).
