Latest News | Winter Season: Punjab Health Minister Reviews Respiratory Illness Situation
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. In view of the approaching winter when cases of respiratory illnesses usually rise, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Friday took stock of the situation and listed out steps for their prevention and control.
Chandigarh, Dec 1 (PTI) In view of the approaching winter when cases of respiratory illnesses usually rise, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Friday took stock of the situation and listed out steps for their prevention and control.
He directed the state health department to issue a detailed advisory on the prevention and control of influenza-like illness (ILI).
According to an official statement issued here, Singh also instructed all the civil surgeons to set up flu corners in the outpatient department (OPD) of every hospital.
He directed them to ensure deployment of trained paramedical staff in these corners.
All hospitals have also been directed to set up isolation wards with adequate logistics and oxygen supply.
The minister also stressed upon the need to create awareness regarding respiratory etiquettes for people with ILI to contain the spread of this highly infectious disease.
"Influenza A H1N1/H3N2 is a notified disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act in Punjab and notification has already been issued in this regard," he said, according to the statement.
He also instructed that this notification should be circulated among all government and private hospitals in the state to report all suspected and confirmed cases.
"It should be ensured that all ILI patients reporting to medical institutions are categorised and if they are COVID negative and having symptoms then Swine Flu (H1N1) should be kept as one of the differential diagnosis and necessary testing should be done," he added.
Singh exhorted people to stay protected against seasonal diseases by exercising precautions.
Patients of ILI, health staff dealing with ILI patients, people or relatives coming in contact with such patients, immuno-compromised persons, children, elderly and pregnant women should wear masks, wash their hands regularly with soap and stay away from crowded places.
People having symptoms of ILI should contact the nearest medical facility, he said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)