Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Thursday that the state health department has stepped up state-wide surveillance following a warning from the Center to all the states regarding the emergence of an enigmatic pneumonia outbreak in China.
There have been more pneumonia cases reported in a few Chinese provinces.
In the background, state-wide surveillance has been reinforced by the health department. The current state of affairs is being examined by the state medical board, the public health department, and specialty physicians. said CM Vijayan.
The state has not reported any unusual increase in cases related to respiratory issues in the last three months, the Chief Minister said. “So we should be alert. We are observing the cases of respiratory diseases in district hospitals, medical colleges and speciality hospitals,” he added.
The Union Health Ministry has proactively reviewed and strengthened preparedness measures against respiratory illness in the country, as per official sources.
According to the sources, the ministry has strengthened its preparedness through the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
In view of recent reports of a surge in respiratory illnesses in children in northern China, health departments in States and Union territories across the country have been put on alert.
“Multipronged surveillance for respiratory infections has been reviewed and strengthened through NCDC and ICMR systems,” a source told ANI.
Sources further said that the Central government is keeping a close watch on developments in other countries too and is constantly in touch with the World Health Organisation (WHO).