Latest news with #SARI
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Karnataka steps up Covid-19 monitoring, urges vigilance
Bengaluru: In response to a recent uptick in Covid-19 cases across Karnataka, department of health and family welfare stepped up monitoring and urged citizens to remain vigilant without giving in to panic. The govt reassured public that systems are in place to detect, contain, and care for emerging cases swiftly. Citizens are encouraged to wear masks in crowded places, report symptoms like fever or breathing difficulty early, and cooperate with surveillance efforts, including random testing and school-based monitoring. The public is also urged to avoid spreading unverified information and instead rely on official updates. Authorities request residents to report international travellers, support contact tracing, and use IHIP portal for community-level symptom tracking. For health-related inquiries, the toll-free helpline 1800 425 8330 is active, and emergency transport can be reached at 108. BOX: Advisory for healthcare workers Renewed protocols were issued with key directives including rigorous ILI/SARI surveillance, mandatory RT-PCR testing for symptomatic high-risk groups, and prompt reporting on IHIP platform. Laboratory and genomic surveillance are also being ramped up. Samples from positive SARI cases must be sent to regional labs for genome sequencing. Each healthcare facility must appoint a nodal officer for infection control and reactivate hospital infection control committees. Proper use of PPE and updated infection prevention measures are mandatory.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
State records 38 new Covid-19 cases in a day
Chennai: Tamil Nadu recorded 38 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, health minister Ma Subramanian said. In May, the state reported 293 cases of Covid-19, among which 148 patients are still on the active list, he said. "There is no reason to panic," he told reporters. The state sent 26 samples to National Institute of Virology for whole genome sequencing. "The lab confirmed that none of the samples contained any virulent form of the virus. All samples were Omicron variants, specifically JN.1, LF.7, NB.1.8.1, MV.1, and BA.3. No new mutations were seen," he said. The surge in Covid-19 has been recorded internationally. Across India, around 1,800 cases were detected. "But in most people, the disease is self-limiting. People complain of fever, fatigue, cold, and sore throat," he said. "One person with a co-morbid condition succumbed to the infection recently," he said. Directorate of public health issued a notification asking doctors and hospitals across the state to report influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases to the district surveillance unit, which will be monitored by the state surveillance units to facilitate a timely public health response, including micro-containment, besides early diagnosis and treatment for infected people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Hospitals have been advised to keep medical facilities such as oxygen, medicines, and manpower ready in case of a surge. "We have advised people, particularly the elderly with co-morbidities, to wear masks when they are in crowded places," he said.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Active Covid cases in India cross 3,000, Kerala leads the surge
India's active Covid-19 cases have crossed the 3,000 threshold, with Kerala reporting the highest number of infections, according to data released by the Union health ministry on Saturday. The number of active cases has risen sharply from 257 on May 22 to 3,395 as of May 31. In the last 24 hours alone, 685 new cases were recorded, and four deaths were reported, one each in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Health officials maintain there is no reason for alarm. 'The severity of infections is low, with most patients under home care,' an official source told news agency PTI. Dr Rajiv Behl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said on Monday that genome sequencing from affected regions in the west and south of India confirmed that the variants driving the latest increase are all Omicron subvariants — LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. 'We should monitor and be vigilant, but there is no cause to worry,' he said. The rise in active cases is most pronounced in Kerala (1,336), followed by Maharashtra (467), Delhi (375), Gujarat (265), Karnataka (234), West Bengal (205), Tamil Nadu (185) and Uttar Pradesh (117). Delhi reported the death of a 60-year-old woman who had acute intestinal obstruction, while Karnataka reported a 63-year-old cancer patient who had co-morbidities including tuberculosis. Odisha health secretary Aswathy S urged residents not to panic, assuring that all seven patients in the state are stable and the situation remains under control. 'The latest ICMR report says that the present variant does not exhibit severe symptoms, and most cases are mild,' she said. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta has reiterated that the city's hospitals are well-prepared. 'Nineteen patients are hospitalised in Delhi, but there is no need to worry. The government is alert,' she said. An earlier advisory instructed hospitals to ensure the availability of beds, oxygen, antibiotics, and vaccines. Karnataka issues precautionary guidelines As active cases continue to rise in Karnataka, the state's health and family welfare department has issued a detailed advisory aimed at preventing further spread. Healthcare workers have been directed to report all Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) cases, especially those with co-morbidities. A portion of these cases will undergo RT-PCR testing, and symptomatic individuals among vulnerable groups — including children, the elderly, and pregnant women, must be tested. The advisory also mandates the tracking of positivity rates and CT values, genome sequencing of severe cases, and sewage surveillance where applicable. With schools set to reopen in June, a separate circular instructed schools to send symptomatic children home and ensure that teachers and staff do not work while ill. 'Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated areas, especially for immunocompromised individuals,' the circular said.
The Hindu
11 hours 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.
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Business Standard
12 hours ago
- Health
- Business Standard
India logs 2,710 active Covid-19 cases, Kerala tops with 1,147 infections
India recorded 2,710 active Covid-19 cases as on May 30, with Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat making up for 77 per cent of the total infections in the country, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The data suggests that there has been a 168 per cent rise in cases in India within four days, from 1,010 cases registered till May 26. Among the states, Kerala has the highest caseload of 1,147, a rise of 717 cases over the last four days. It is followed by Maharashtra at 424 cases, of which 40 were reported on Thursday. Delhi too saw an increase of 190 cases since May 26, with the national capital currently reporting 294 active Covid-19 cases. Gujarat became the fourth state to cross the 200-mark, with 223 cases. At least seven deaths have been reported due to the virulent disease this month, with figures still being confirmed by agencies. Karnataka (148 active cases), Tamil Nadu (148 active cases) and West Bengal (116 active cases) have also seen a rise in caseload in the last week. According to sources in the ministry, the surge is being led by the JN.1, XFG and LF 7.9 variants, which belong to the Omicron family and cause mild infections. To counter this surge, several states and UTs have come out with advisories asking both government and private hospitals to ensure preparedness in terms of beds, oxygen, antibiotics and other drugs. State governments have also asked hospitals for daily reporting of Influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) to the Centre's Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). Central health authorities also swung into action in recent weeks, holding several review meetings to assess the situation in the country. The review comes amid a noticeable uptick in Covid cases in Hong Kong and Singapore this month. 'The review meeting, led by the Union Health Secretary and the Director General (DG) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) last week found that most of the cases in India are mild and under home care,' sources added. The ministry has stated that it remains vigilant and through its multiple agencies, is proactively monitoring the situation. On the recent rise, Rajiv Bahl, director general at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said that cases have been rising in the southern and western parts of India, and now a surge is being seen in the northern region. 'We are monitoring the situation through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), which tracks cases nationwide,' he added. Experts believe the SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8 — both descendants of the JN.1 variant of Omicron, which was also behind a rise in infections in India early last year. According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog), India has already registered four cases of the LF.7 variant from Gujarat and one case of NB.1.8.1 sub variant from Tamil Nadu this month.
