Telangana health department on high alert, implements measures for early detection of ILI and SARI cases

With reports emerging about a rise in respiratory ailments from China and subsequent alert in six States, the department as a precautionary measure decided to further strengthen and intensify its disease surveillance initiative through integrated diseases surveillance project (IDSP).

Hyderabad: The health department in Telangana is on alert and has launched preventive measures for early diagnosis of individuals with influenza like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI).

With reports emerging about a rise in respiratory ailments from China and subsequent alert in six States, the department as a precautionary measure decided to further strengthen and intensify its disease surveillance initiative through integrated diseases surveillance project (IDSP).

Following the rise of respiratory infections in China, a total of six States including the neighboring Maharashtra and Karnataka governments are on alert to identify and initiate the treatment of all individuals with flu-like symptoms.

The Public Health wing of Telangana has already directed its field surveillance teams to be on alert and keep track of ILI and SARI cases. Other States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, which have traditionally witnessed surge of Covid infections during the pandemic, are on alert and their respective health departments have launched outreach initiatives.

Maintaining that Telangana has enough medical infrastructure, health officials pointed out that barring sporadic cases of seasonal flu, at present, there is no indication of a major surge in upper respiratory ailments and even Covid infections.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), the recent rise in cases of respiratory illness in northern parts of China is predominantly due to Influenza (seasonal flu), Mycoplasma pneumonia and SARS-CoV-2 etc. Health officials here said that respiratory infection of bacterial (Mycoplasma) origin are treatable with the regular antibiotics.