If it was the spread of Coronavirus infection that created panic in 2020, it is now the spreading of pneumonia in the kids in China that is making many to worry now!!
In this scenario, the DPH or Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine is now taking measures to intensify the surveillance of outpatients and inpatients for respiratory illnesses. The respiratory illness would include acute respiratory illness or ARI, severe acute respiratory illness or SARI and influenza like illness or ILL.
It must be noted that a separate communication has been sent to the director of medical education and research DME, director of medical health and rural health services or DMS and DPHs deputy director of health services. Dr. T.S. Selvavinanayagam (director of public health) has requested them to give instructions to the institutions under them to step up the surveillance measures and report cases of ARI, SARI and ILI etc in the integrated Disease Surveillance- Integrated Health Information Platform portal.
In view of the rapid spread of pneumonia in the children in China, the union health Ministry has recommended the outpatient and inpatient surveillance for respiratory illness. Point is that the health care facilities must be strengthened to manage patients.