Centre urges states to review preparedness amid pneumonia outbreak in China

The Union Health Ministry has recommended that states promptly assess their public health preparedness in response to recent reports highlighting a rise in respiratory illnesses among children in northern China."This is noted to be important in view of the ongoing influenza and winter season that results in an increase in respiratory illness cases. The Government of India is closely monitoring the situation and indicated that there is no need for any alarm," it said.In a letter to all states and Union territories, the Union health secretary urged an immediate review of public health and hospital preparedness.This includes evaluating the availability of beds, drugs, influenza vaccines, medical oxygen, antibiotics, personal protective equipment, testing kits, reagents, functionality of oxygen plants and ventilators, and adherence to infection control practices.States have been advised to implement the Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of COVID-19, shared earlier in the year.These guidelines encompass integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI).District and state surveillance units of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) are instructed to closely monitor trends of ILI and SARI, especially among children and adolescents, with data required to be uploaded on the IDSP-IHIP portal.Additionally, state authorities are directed to send nasal and throat swab samples of SARI patients, particularly children and adolescents, to Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories for testing respiratory pathogens.The state authorities have been asked to send nasal and throat swab samples of patients with SARI, particularly children and adolescents, to the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories for testing for respiratory pathogens.Recent information from the World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed to an increase in respiratory illnesses in northern China, primarily attributed to typical causes such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia, and SARS-CoV-2.According to the WHO, the release of COVID-19 restrictions coinciding with the onset of winter season in addition to cyclical trend of respiratory illnesses such as mycoplasma pneumonia have led to this surge.While the WHO has sought additional information from the Chinese authorities, it is assessed that there is no cause for any alarm at the moment, the ministry said.With inputs from PTI