Odisha districts on alert, told to keep oxygen, ICU ready amid H3N2 scare

Bhubaneswar: Director of Public Health Niranjan Mishra today directed the Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) and Director of Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar to intensify surveillance amid rising cases of H3N2 influenza and CoVID-19 across the country.

The Public Health department has asked the CDMOs and Capital Hospital Director to maintain high alert in the wake of the twin threats.

Besides, the CDMOs and Capital Hospital Director were told to keep medical oxygen and intensive care units (ICUs) ready to meet any eventuality.

The Public Health Director, meanwhile, advised the people suffering from cold and cough to go for Covid tests.

“There is no medicine of choice for influenza. In majority cases, the people suffering from influenza recover without any medication. Some patients may develop pneumonia and certain other complications. Patients should consult physicians before taking any medicine. People should use face masks and wash their hands frequently to avoid influenza infection,” said the Public Health Director.

H3N2 is a seasonal influenza and it spreads through droplets. Most of the patients recover from influenza infection within a week. People should follow the precautionary measures to avoid influenza infection. There is no need to get panic, he added.

Earlier, the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC)-Bhubaneswar had revealed that at least 59 cases of H3N2 influenza have been detected in Odisha in last two months.

Altogether 225 samples from across Odisha were tested for H3N2 at the RMRC-Bhubaneswar in January and February this year. Of which, 59 samples were found positive for the influenza, said RMRC-Bhubaneswar Director Sanghamitra Pati.

So far, at least 3,000 laboratory-confirmed H3N2 influenza cases have been reported from across the country, sources said.

On the other hand, fresh Covid cases in the country crossed 500 yesterday for the first time in 114 days, sources added.