Sunday, 12 March 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Health ministry issues advisory, no need to panic says U’khand Health Dept
Following the advisory issued by the Union Health ministry on H3N2 subtype of the influenza A virus, the Health department of Uttarakhand has come into an active mode. While appealing to the people not to panic because of the disease, the department has said that the people should follow the Covid appropriate behaviour to control its spread.
The state programme officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh told The Pioneer that the cases of the H3N2 virus which is a type of the human influenza group commonly increase in this season. He said that there is no need to get worried or come into a panic mode on the spread of this disease. The disease is similar to common cold and not fatal.
Dr Singh however added that the people should continue to follow the Covid appropriate behaviour to combat the disease.
The influenza A subtype H3N2 is a major cause of current respiratory illness. The report of the union health ministry says that surveillance data from December 15 till date reflects the rise in the number of cases of H3N influenza virus. It points out that about half of all inpatient severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and outpatient influenza like illness were found to have influenza A H3N2.
The advisory says that the symptomatic people should wear masks and avoid crowded places, take plenty of fluids, avoid touching eyes and nose and take paracetamol for fever and headache. It prohibits infected people from spitting in public and contact greetings.
