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Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Covid 19 this year: Over 100 cases in Pune, 500 in Mumbai
Maharashtra has so far reported a total of 873 Covid-19 cases, of which more than 100 are in Pune, while close to 500 are in Mumbai. While a district-wise analysis is underway at the health department, officials said they were following strict guidelines issued by the Union government and not testing everyone for SARS-CoV2 virus. This year, ten deaths have been reported till date. 'We are testing samples of patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and 5 percent of those with Influenza-like Illness (ILI),' Dr Babita Kamalapurkar, joint director of health, Maharashtra told The Indian Express. In Pune, health authorities said that overall, there were 108 cases of Covid-19. A total of 12,011 samples suspected of Covid-19 have been screened, of which 873 have tested positive. Of these, 369 persons have recovered. On Monday, the state health department logged in 59 new cases of which 20 were from Mumbai, four from Thane, one from Pune rural areas, 17 from Pune Municipal Corporation areas, two each from Pimpri Chinchwad, Satara, Kolhapur, one from Sangli and eight from Sambhajinagar. A circular was also issued on Monday by the public health department secretaries Nipun Vinayak and Virendra Singh, instructing district surveillance units to closely monitor the SARI/ILI cases. Samples that have tested positive for Covid-19 will be sent to the regional Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories for whole genome sequencing. A clear message has been relayed in the circular that advises elderly persons and those with co-morbid conditions to avoid large gatherings or alternatively wear a face mask. There has been seasonal upswings and a slow but steady rise in acute respiratory infections across the country, health officials said. More than 90 per cent cases are from Kerala, Maharashtra, New Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Covid cases, according to officials, largely have mild symptoms like fever, cough and sore throat. However, health authorities have now advised medical colleges and hospitals and corporations to ensure preparedness that includes adequate number of hospital ward and ICU beds, PSA plants and also conduct mock drills.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
MGMGH opens Covid-19 ward but no cases in district yet
TIRUCHY: Amid an increase in Covid-19 cases across the country, a 12-bed Covid-19 isolation ward has been set up at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) as a precautionary measure. Although no confirmed cases of the viral disease has been reported in the district so far, the move to open the isolation ward comes as fever cases are being more intensely monitored across the state. The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has instructed all district and city health officers to step up surveillance of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant as of May 2025, NB.1.8.1, is more transmissible but does not typically cause severe disease. Covid-19 is now considered endemic, and many cases are being identified incidentally through broad respiratory virus testing.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
As COVID-19 cases rise, Kerala steps up monitoring
Kerala has stepped up monitoring and surveillance of influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) across the State as COVID-19 cases have begun to show an uptick . According to Ministry of Health and Family Affairs data, as on May 31, Kerala has 1,336 active cases of COVID-19. One new death, of a 59-year-old with known coronary artery disease and who had been admitted with pneumonia, was also reported. 'No doubt, case numbers will go up because directives have been given to enhance testing. Public sector hospitals will do more of RT-PCR tests because we are sending these samples for genomic sequencing too, whereas the private sector seems to be doing more of Rapid Antigen tests,' a senior Health official said. 'We are keeping a close eye on hospitalisations and ICU admissions but as the variant LF.7, which is currently in circulation, is mild, we do not expect hospitalisations to go up over 0.5%. We expect this spike in cases to run its course as a normal wave, a phenomenon that will probably recur in another six months as newer variants emerge,' he added. The new normal Public health experts maintain that COVID-19 has been part of the new normal since June 2023, when co-circulation of COVID-19, along with influenza virus began to be reported. 'It is very difficult to distinguish between influenza and COVID-19 symptoms, just by clinical signs alone. However, in the case of influenza, administration of antivirals like Oseltamivir within 48 hours has beneficial effects. Hence, in the case of people with severe respiratory infection or are hospitalised with pneumonia, we have to test for both viruses. In the case of outpatients, clinicians may test depending on the symptoms and specific circumstances if the patient belongs to the vulnerable category,' a senior clinician said. Three categories Kerala will continue to follow its ABC categorisation guidelines for treating patients with ILI. Category A patients will not need treatment and can be managed at home, whereas in the of case of B1 (severe symptoms including high fever) and B2 (mild symptoms, but those with comorbidities), patients should be tested for influenza or COVID-19 and started early on Oseltamivir. Category C patients would be the sick ones — those with fever, respiratory symptoms and red flag signs like breathlessness, chest pain, and in children, irritation and drowsiness. They have to be hospitalised, tested, and treated. Unnecessary testing — as in testing those without any respiratory symptoms prior to surgeries — or screening for COVID-19 is not recommended. The vulnerable group Health officials maintained that the variant LF.7 caused only mild illness but was highly transmissible. Hence the public needed to be aware that COVID-19 was still around and take standard precautions to prevent transmission, so that those considered to be the vulnerable population — young children, elderly, pregnant women and those with uncontrolled comorbidities — were not compromised. 'We have stepped up our surveillance for ILI and it is possible that in the next few weeks, COVID-19 cases will overtake influenza cases. But we will continue to stick to our treatment guidelines. Masking, maintaining physical distancing and hand hygiene should be maintained by the public, especially when they visit hospitals. The illness caused by LF.7 — fever lasting 2-3 days, sore throat which may be accompanied by cough and extreme fatigue — is mild and only those with uncontrolled comorbidities are being admitted in hospitals now,' Health officials said.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
COVID-19: T.N. health officers told to ensure early detection, reporting of ILI and SARI cases
With cases of COVID-19 being reported in various parts of the country, health officers have been told to step up disease surveillance and implement proactive measures to ensure early detection, reporting, and response to cases of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI). The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, in a communication to district, city, and municipal health officers, said that recent reports indicate a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across various parts of the country, with a noticeable increase in several States, including Tamil Nadu, during May. District Surveillance Units should ensure consistent daily monitoring and reporting of ILI and SARI cases from all healthcare facilities in their jurisdictions. They should report any unusual clustering of cases, without delay, to the State Surveillance Unit to enable timely public health response. Once clusters are identified, close monitoring should be maintained and necessary follow-up actions must be carried out in coordination with field-level teams and Primary Health Centres. The directorate has said that all healthcare facilities must verify the availability of essential medical supplies, including antiviral drugs such as Oseltamivir and necessary diagnostic consumables for managing ILI. They should also assess and ensure sufficient bed capacity in fever wards, with contingency plans to accommodate any surge in patient numbers. Field staff should be mobilised to promote public health messages within communities. This includes promoting hand hygiene, encouraging wearing masks in crowded places to reduce transmission, and maintaining cough etiquette and a safe distance from individuals showing symptoms of respiratory illness. They should urge individuals to seek medical care early in case of symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, or body pain. They should also reinforce the need for seasonal influenza vaccination, particularly among high-risk groups. The staff should advise regular cleaning of commonly touched surfaces such as phones, door handles, and light switches. The officers were told to instruct all health institutions in their administrative control to report all ILI/SARI cases on the Integrated Health Information Platform portal without fail.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Rajasthan records 15 fresh Covid cases
The Covid-19 cases are steadily rising in Rajasthan, with 15 new infections reported in the last 24 hours, an official said on Friday, adding that Jaipur has recorded the highest number of cases at seven, followed by Bikaner with three and Udaipur with two. Isolated cases have also been reported from Jodhpur and two other locations. In response to the increasing cases across India, the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to all states, urging them to take preventive measures, discourage mass gatherings, and promote the use of face masks. The Central government has also asked Rajasthan to submit a comprehensive report by June 2 on the availability of beds, oxygen, ventilators, ICUs, essential medicines, and PPE kits in all district and sub-district hospitals, medical colleges, and health institutions. The goal is to ensure preparedness in case of a spike in Covid-related hospitalisations. According to the Rajasthan Health Department, one case each has been reported at Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital and RUHS, while five other cases emerged from a private diagnostic center in the city. Overall, 69 Covid-19 cases have been reported in the state so far this year. On the national front, the Union Health Ministry has attributed the recent rise in Covid-19 cases to the emergence of new Omicron sub-variants—JN.1, XFG, and LF.7.9 -- which are causing mild symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat. As of May 28, India has recorded 1,621 active Covid-19 cases, with more than 90 per cent concentrated in six states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The advisory also instructs state health departments to test patients showing signs of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and influenza-like illnesses (ILI), and to conduct genome sequencing of positive cases to track emerging variants. In addition, the Health Ministry has emphasised the need for public awareness campaigns to encourage hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette (covering the mouth while coughing), refraining from spitting in public, protecting the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, and wearing masks in crowded places.
