Assam on Thursday reported its first case of the H3N2 influenza, and the state's health department is closely monitoring the situation, according to an official bulletin. The National Health Mission, Assam, issued a bulletin on Wednesday night, confirming the detection of a case of H3N2 influenza.
The Health Department is closely monitoring the evolving seasonal influenza situation in Assam through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network on a real-time basis, the bulletin stated.
The district surveillance officers under the IDSP network are fully prepared to meet this public health challenge in Assam in accordance with guidelines formulated by the Centre and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The NHM said that influenza cases usually increase globally during certain months of the year, and India usually witnesses two peaks of seasonal influenza: one from January to March and the other in the post-monsoon season.
The bulletin also mentioned that cases arising from seasonal influenza are expected to decline from the end of March.
The disease is mostly airborne from person to person through large droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, with other modes of transmission being indirect contact by touching a contaminated object or surface and close contact, including handshaking, according to the bulletin.
The bulletin stated that the disease is self-limiting in most cases, with symptoms of cough and cold, body aches, and fever, and usually resolves within a week or so.
However, high-risk groups such as infants, young children, pregnant women, elderly above the age of 65 years, and people with comorbidities may experience more symptomatic illnesses requiring hospitalization.
Here are the steps included in the control strategy the Assam Health Department is adopting:
# Raising awareness for practising hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette among people
# Maintaining a sufficient stock of test kits, medicines, and consumables for diagnosis and case management in all health facilities including medical colleges
# Gearing up ILI/ARI/SARI surveillance activities involving MOs, CHOs, MPWs, SWs, ANMs and ASHAs in all districts
# Monitoring the situation on a real-time basis by state and district teams of the IDSP-IHIP Network
Puducherry schools close today for 10 days
The Puducherry government on Wednesday announced a holiday for all schools up to Class 8 from March 16 to March 26 in view of the spread of the H3N2 influenza virus in the Union Territory.
The order will be in force for schools in all four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam in the Union Territory in view of the prevalence of the viral subtype of influenza, particularly among children.
The UT health department had stated on March 11 that Puducherry reported 79 virus cases belonging to the viral H3N2 subtype till March 4.
With agency inputs.
First Published: Mar 16, 2023 11:39 AM IST
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