Health dept to keep eye on ILI, SARI cases

Nashik: Divisional health officer Kapil Aher on Tuesday instructed health officials of all five districts in the division to maintain a vigil in places where there are more cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) against the backdrop of the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the state and other parts of the country.

Aher said things are very much in control in north Maharashtra, and they were just maintaining a vigil. "There is no reason to panic as the virus has been there for more than two decades. It also does not mutate. Hence, we are only focusing on keeping a vigil to check if there is a sudden rise in patients with influenza," he said.

Health and Asha workers have been told to continue with their routine work. In case there is a rise in ILI or SARI cases in a certain area, the health workers would take samples of the patient and send them for further examination to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

There are sufficient beds available at the rural hospitals all over the Nashik region. Additional beds are also maintained from time to time at the rural hospital and district hospitals, said Aher.

Additional beds in the isolation ward of the Nashik Civil Hospital have also been kept ready in case of any emergency arising out of the spread of MHPV.