Rise in Covid cases: Govt planning nationwide drill to take stock of hospital preparedness on April 10, 11

Amid rising cases of Covid19 and seasonal influenza the government is planning a nationwide mock drill on April 10 and 11 to take stock of hospital preparednessAccording to a joint advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR on Saturday both public and private health facilities in all districts are expected to participate in the exercise aimed at taking stock of availability of medicines hospital beds medical equipment and medical oxygenThe exact details of the mock drill shall be communicated to the states in the virtual meeting scheduled on March 27 the advisory statedThe joint advisory highlighted that in the past several weeks Covid19 testing has declined in some states and the current testing levels are insufficient as compared to the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization WHO ie 140 tests per millionTesting at the levels of districts and blocks also varies with some states heavily relying on the less sensitive rapid antigen testsHence it is critical to maintain optimum testing for Covid19 equitably distributed with suitable modifications to address emergence of new cluster of Covid cases across the states This is especially important to identify any emerging hotspots and take preemptive steps to curb virus transmission it statedThe joint advisory is in continuation of the Union Health Ministrys earlier communications dated March 10 and 16 on the issue of seasonal circulation of panrespiratory pathogens in the country as well as public health response to Covid19 in states and Union territoriesThe advisory signed by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Director General of ICMR Dr Rajiv Bahl stated that a gradual but sustained increase in trajectory of Covid19 cases in the country is being witnessed since midFebruaryAs on date most of the active Covid19 cases in the country are largely being reported by a few states like Kerala 264 per cent Maharashtra 217 per cent Gujarat 139 per cent Karnataka 86 per cent and Tamil Nadu 63 per centAlso readMy name is not Savarkar it is Gandhi amp Gandhi never offers apology Rahul on BJPrsquos demandWhile the rates of hospitalization and death due to the disease remain low largely because of the significant coverage achieved in terms of Covid19 vaccination rates by all states and UTS this gradual rise in cases needs reinvigorated public health actions to contain the surge the advisory saidThe states and UTs have been asked too keep a close watch on the evolving etiologies causes of diseases of Influenza Like Illness ILI and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness SARI cases adding India usually sees a seasonal rise in Influenza cases from January to March and again from August to OctoberCurrently the most prominent subtypes of Influenza in circulation in the countryseem to be Influenza A H1N1 and Influenza A H3N2As you may be aware Covid19 and Influenza share a number of similarities in terms of mode of transmission high risk population clinical signs and symptomsWhile this may present a clinical dilemma for the attending doctors in terms of diagnosis this also renders both these diseases easily preventable by following simple public health measures like avoiding overcrowded and poorly ventilated settings using handkerchieftissue while sneezing or coughing wearing a mask in crowded and closed settings maintaining hand hygiene avoiding spitting in public places etc the advisory mentionedThe Union Ministry of Health has already issued detailed guidelines for management of coinfection of Covid19 with other seasonal epidemic prone diseasesAll states and UTs have been advised to disseminate these guidelines to all health facilities and healthcare workers within the state to help in clinical case managementUnder Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme IDSP states and District IDSP units need to closely follow the trend of ILISARI monitor the proportion of SARI cases among all ILI and SARI cases and refer sufficient number of samples for testing for Influenza and SARSCoV2 the joint advisory statedIt would also be helpful for all states and UTS to undertake reorientation of frontline health workers on epidemiological case definitions to help early diagnosis and prompt treatmentThe advisory stated in order to limit transmission of these diseases it is important to raise community awareness regarding adherence to respiratory and hand hygiene particularly avoiding overcrowded and poorly ventilated settings particularly by comorbid wearing of masks by doctors paramedics and other healthcare works as well as patients and their attendants within health care facilitiesIt would also be useful to take stock of hospital preparedness including drugs beds including ICU beds medical equipment medical oxygen capacity building of human resource on existing guidelines as well as vaccination coverage To this effect a nationwide mock drill is being planned on 10th and 11th April 2023 wherein health facilities both public and private from all districts are expected to participate the joint advisory readThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever