Haryana issues Covid advisory amid rise in weekly cases

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Following a rise in Covid-19 cases across Haryana, the state health department has issued a fresh advisory directing all district health officials, surveillance teams, and hospitals to enhance preparedness and remain on alert. The advisory, issued under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), follows the detection of 15 new Covid-19 cases in the past week—eight from Gurugram, five from Faridabad, and one each from Yamunanagar and Karnal.
Officials have been asked to ensure hospitals establish dedicated flu corners and maintain adequate isolation beds, oxygen supplies, PPE kits, N-95 masks, antibiotics, and testing kits. 'Hospitals must strictly follow infection prevention and control protocols, particularly in OPDs and emergency wards, where healthcare workers should wear masks,' said a senior health department official.
The department has also called for refresher training sessions for medical staff to update them on Covid symptoms, case management, and state protocols. Civil surgeons and district surveillance officers have been instructed to resume monitoring influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) trends. According to the revised testing strategy, 100% of SARI cases and 5% of ILI cases must undergo Covid-19 testing.
'All public and private facilities must upload daily data on the IDSP-IHIP portal,' the advisory states. It also asks districts to coordinate with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to ensure preparedness.
In Gurugram, where the highest number of new cases have been reported, 10 beds have been set aside at the Civil Hospital in Sector 10 for possible admissions, although no hospitalisation has been required yet. 'The district administration has intensified surveillance. Early detection and timely isolation are key,' said Dr Jai Prakash, Covid-19 nodal officer.
Health officials have urged citizens to wear masks in crowded places, maintain hand hygiene, avoid public spitting, and stay home if symptomatic. 'So far, most patients are showing mild symptoms similar to the common cold,' said Dr Alka Singh, Chief Medical Officer, Gurugram. However, the exact positivity rate or number of tests conducted over the past week has not been disclosed.
'The district administration has intensified surveillance efforts. We are tracing the travel history of both individuals and identifying people they may have come in contact with recently. Early detection and timely isolation are key in preventing further transmission,' said Dr Jai Prakash, Nodal Officer for Covid-19. The health department has also issued an advisory urging citizens to seek medical testing if they develop symptoms such as a cold, cough, fever, body ache, or fatigue. Special focus has been placed on international and inter-state travellers, with district surveillance officers instructed to follow up with such individuals.