Guwahati: The Assam health department is keeping a close watch on the evolving seasonal influenza situation in Assam through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network on a real-time basis, health department sources said on Wednesday.
District surveillance officers under IDSP Network are fully geared up to handle the situation of H3N2 and meet the public health challenge in every district of the state in line with the guidelines formulated by the central government and ICMR.
Apart from real-time monitoring, the control strategy adopted by state health department includes awareness generation for practicing hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes by the people, maintenance of sufficient stock of test kits, medicines, consumables for diagnosis and case management in all health facilities, including medical colleges.
“Influenza-like illness (ILI), acute respiratory infection (ARI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance activities have been intensified with medical officers, community health officers, multipurpose workers, auxiliary nurse-midwives, ASHAs (accredited social health activists) being engaged in all districts of Assam,” health department sources said.
According to the National Health Mission, Assam, the state has reported just one H3N2 case as on March 15, 2023, since January 1, 2023. No deaths have been reported during the two-and-half-month period this year.
About the disease: Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory tract infection caused by 4 distinct Types- Influenza A, B, C and D belonging to the Orthomyxoviridae family. Among these types, Influenza A is the most common pathogen for humans and with Influenza A (H1N1)/A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) subtypes being the current seasonal flu viruses.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), H3N2 is a non-human influenza virus that was first detected in 2011 in humans with genes from avian, swine, and human viruses and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus M gene.
Globally, influenza cases are typically seen to increase during certain months of the year. India usually witnesses two peaks of seasonal influenza: one from January to March and another one in the post-monsoon season. The cases arising from seasonal influenza are expected to decline from March end.
In most cases, the disease is self-limiting with symptoms of cough and cold, body ache and fever etc. and usually resolves within a week or so. However potential high-risk groups such as infants, young children, pregnant women, elderly above the age of 65 years and people with co-morbidities might experience more symptomatic illness requiring hospitalisation also.
“Disease transmission is mostly airborne from person to person, through large droplets generated by the act of coughing and sneezing. Other modes of transmission, including indirect contact by touching a contaminated object or surface (fomite transmission), close contact (including handshaking),” health department sources said.
Guiding principles for treatment: Early implementation of infection control precautions to minimise nosocomial/household – the spread of disease. Prompt treatment to prevent severe illness and death. Early identification and follow-up of persons at risk for severe complications of Influenza.
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Do’s and Don’ts for Infection prevention and control:
Do’s:
- Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
- If you are feeling symptomatic, wear masks and avoid crowded places.
- Cover mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing.
- Take paracetamol for fever and body ache as per health workers’ advice.
Don’ts:
- Don’t touch your eyes and nose as far as practicable.
- Don’t shake hands or use other contact greetings.
- Don’t spit in public.
Don’t take antibiotics or other medicines without consulting a doctor.
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