The Centre, a few days ago, had sounded an alert about rising influenza A cases caused by H3N2 infections. Following the alert, the state chief secretary said a task force that had been set up for monitoring adenovirus infections would also oversee the state's H3N2 scenario.
Dr. V Vinod Kumar, director of medical education, addressed the media here and asked people to strictly follow hygiene to avoid the spread of the flu.
The minister further said influenza vaccination is given every year and all healthcare workers are instructed to get it. For specific doctors and staff, including those working in the ICU, vaccines will be given by the government, he said, this vaccine was given till 2019 and was discontinued later due to COVID.
Several districts in West Bengal have been witnessing a surge in cases of children suffering from Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI), the hospital authorities informed.
The surveillance data from December 15 to date reflects the rise in the number of cases of influenza A H3N2. About half of all inpatient severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and outpatient influenza-like illnesses were found to have influenced A H3N2.
In the last two weeks, there have been a lot of respiratory tract infections happening in the form of fever, cough, runny/blocked nose, body ache and headache. The diagnosis in most of the cases is influenza in the form of Influenza A, H3N2, H1N1 and also some other respiratory viruses : Dr S Chatterjee
The CDC estimates that so far this season there have been at least 6.2 million flu illnesses, 53,000 hospitalisations and 2,900 deaths from flu. Of influenza A viruses detected and subtyped this season, 78 per cent have been influenza A (H3N2) and 22 per cent have been influenza A (H1N1).
A massive jump in Influenza A and common cold (Rhinovirus) cases have kept doctors on their toes over the past week.
Till August 13 this year, 695 cases of swine flu had been reported in Uttar Pradesh. Of these, 21 have died.
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