Centre Urges States To Review Hospital Preparedness In View Of Pneumonia Outbreak In China

In view of reports indicating a surge in respiratory illness in children in northern China in recent weeks, the Centre on Sunday directed States and Union Territories to immediately review public health and hospital preparedness measures even as the Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation.

The Centre, in a letter, has asked States and UTs to evaluate the availability of human resources, hospital beds, influenza drugs and vaccines, medical oxygen, antibiotics, personal protective equipment, testing kits, and reagents. Additionally, the review should encompass the functionality of oxygen plants and ventilators, as well as infection control practices in health facilities, to be conducted at a senior level.

"All States and Union Territories have ben advised to implement 'Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of COVID-19', shared earlier this year, which provides for integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI). They have also been asked to ensure that the trends of ILI/SARI should be closely monitored by the district and state surveillance units of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP), particularly of children and adolescents.

Public health institutions, specifically medical college hospitals, are mandated to upload ILI/SARI data on the IDSP-IHIP portal. States are also instructed to dispatch nasal and throat swab samples, especially from children and adolescents with SARI, to the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) within the respective states for respiratory pathogen testing. The combined impact of implementing these precautionary and collaborative measures proactively is anticipated to effectively address any potential situations and safeguard the safety and well-being of the citizens, the statement added.

The recent data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed to a rise in respiratory illnesses in the northern regions of China. This increase is primarily linked to common factors like Influenza, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and SARS-CoV-2.

According to the WHO, the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions aligning with the arrival of the winter season, coupled with the cyclical pattern of respiratory illnesses like Mycoplasma pneumonia, has contributed to this upswing. While the WHO has requested additional information from Chinese authorities, the current assessment suggests that there is no need for immediate concern.