Health minister reviews hosp infra as H3N2 cases rise

Guwahati: Lack of clear instructions from the state health department is preventing hospitals from sending samples of suspected H3N2 infected patients for genome sequencing. This would have helped ascertain the variant of the Influenza A virus, which has infected thousands in the country.
This prompted the said department on Monday to review the preparedness of hospitals amid the rising H3N2 cases. Talking to media persons, health minister Keshab Mahanta said, “The state infrastructure is ready to tackle H3N2.” He, however, added that the samples of people with severe cough and fever in many hospitals of the state, including the Gauhati Medical College Hospital, are yet to be sent for genome sequencing.
“We have not done genome sequencing of the suspected H3N2 cases. But the symptoms of the suspected cases more or less the same here in Guwahati,” a senior health department official said.
The health department sources said the state unit of the National Health Mission (NHM) reviewed the situation here on Monday, but senior officials could not be reached despite repeated phone calls from TOI.
Sources in Assam NHM said it is yet to take a serious note of infected cases in the districts, even as pollution is taking a toll on the residents. “It’s contagious and increases when pollution goes up,” said a doctor in GMCH, adding that admissions linked to influenza went up to 20% recently.