DELHI
In the wake of the Human MetaPneumoVirus (HMPV) outbreak in China, India has been closely monitoring the situation. On Sunday, the Delhi health authorities issued an advisory to ensure preparedness for potential health challenges related to HMPV and other respiratory viruses. According to an official statement, Dr Vandana Bagga, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), convened a meeting with chief district medical officers and the state programme officer of IDSP on Sunday to discuss preparedness to address respiratory illnesses in Delhi. Hospitals have been instructed to promptly report Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases through the IHIP Portal. Strict isolation protocols and the use of universal precautions for suspected cases have been made mandatory. Hospitals are required to maintain proper documentation of SARI cases and lab-confirmed influenza cases to ensure accurate monitoring.Hospitals were directed to ensure the availability of paracetamol, antihistamines, bronchodilators, and cough syrups for treating mild cases, along with oxygen. Updates from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) corroborate the absence of any significant surge in respiratory illnesses, according to data as of January 2, 2025, the statement said. Earlier, official sources said that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is closely monitoring respiratory and seasonal influenza cases in the country. "There is news doing the rounds about a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China. However, we have analysed the data of the respiratory outbreaks in the country (India) and there is no substantial increase in the December 2024 data and no cases which have been reported in large numbers from any of our institutions. There is nothing to be alarmed about the present situation," a DGHS official said. (With PTI inputs) None
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