New Delhi, Aug. 25 -- Delhi has stepped up surveillance, hospital preparedness and public awareness measures as H1N1 infections rise in the capital, with 2,308 cases reported so far this year and cumulative Influenza A and B infections crossing around 3,000. The government has ordered hospitals to strengthen testing, treatment and isolation arrangements, while schools have been asked to improve hygiene and respiratory precautions. Officials, however, said there was no need for panic, with the Indian Council of Medical Research describing the current rise as part of the seasonal influenza pattern rather than the emergence of a new strain.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired an emergency review of the influenza situation on Tuesday, with Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh holding an inter-sectoral meeting attended by senior officials from the Health Department, MCD, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment. The review covered disease trends, surveillance, hospital preparedness, medicines, testing facilities and preventive measures. "H1N1 is currently the predominant influenza subtype in Delhi," Singh said, adding that the health system had adequate doctors, staff and medicines. "There is no need for panic. Patients are coming, but they are getting treated and then going back."
Hospitals have been directed to maintain adequate isolation beds and ensure that patients requiring admission are not denied treatment. Singh also warned that strict action would be taken against hospitals found overcharging patients for tests.
Preparedness has already been strengthened at several government hospitals. At Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, fever clinics, isolation beds and bed allocation are being monitored, with teams placed on alert. Officials said a fever clinic had been set up as a precaution, although the hospital had not seen a major rise in cases. At Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, an established flu clinic is operating as part of seasonal preparedness. Patients showing warning signs are being sampled immediately, while those with severe influenza symptoms or infectious pneumonia are admitted. The hospital has increased H1N1 sampling through nasal swabs sent to laboratories. Around 240 patients reported with flu-like symptoms on Monday, and about 30 to 40 were admitted depending on their clinical condition and severity. Beds have also been earmarked for isolation and treatment.
Lok Nayak Hospital has similarly increased flu sampling and is assessing patients for warning signs and severe symptoms before deciding on admission.
The Delhi government has directed the Health Department to strengthen surveillance for influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infection, ensure early detection and timely reporting, conduct testing of eligible cases and maintain adequate supplies of antiviral medicines and other hospital requirements. The Centre's health advisory is also being implemented across hospitals and concerned departments.
Gupta said preparedness measures must reach the ground and not remain confined to official reports. The government has also ordered wider awareness and information campaigns through public-facing platforms and high-footfall areas. Participating agencies have been asked to provide details of awareness camps and submit action-taken reports within a specified timeframe.
The Directorate of Education separately issued an advisory to all government, aided and private recognised schools, asking them to follow a "Healthy School-Healthy Community" approach. Students and staff have been advised to cover their nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing, dispose of tissues properly and wash their hands regularly, particularly before meals and after coughing or sneezing.
Schools have also been asked to maintain reasonable distance from people with respiratory symptoms, use masks where considered necessary, improve ventilation and regularly clean classrooms, common areas and frequently touched surfaces. They have been told to discourage spitting and promote hydration, nutritious food, adequate rest and personal hygiene.
The advisory cautioned students and staff against self-medication, saying antibiotics and other medicines should be taken only on medical advice. Awareness is to be spread through assemblies, classroom sessions, notice boards, parent communication channels and digital platforms. District and zonal education officials will monitor compliance and submit consolidated reports by August 31. Education Minister Ashish Sood said there was no emergency situation in Delhi but urged schools and families to remain cautious. He said simple measures such as handwashing, hygiene and precautions around symptomatic people could help protect students and staff.
ICMR Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl said the current H1N1 activity was consistent with seasonal influenza. He said the circulating virus was the Influenza A H1N1 pdm09 lineage that has been present since the 2009 pandemic and has since become an endemic seasonal virus.
"H1N1 is one of the types of Influenza A," Bahl said, adding that influenza viruses mutate regularly but this did not mean a new strain had emerged. ICMR surveillance shows H1N1 is currently the most commonly detected respiratory infection among people presenting with cough and cold symptoms.
Bahl said most cases were mild and self-limiting and that there was no need for everyone with cough or cold symptoms to undergo testing to identify the virus. He said outbreaks generally reach a peak before declining, although the exact timing cannot be predicted. The number of cases is expected to begin falling in the coming weeks.
H3N2 and Influenza B Victoria are also being detected, while COVID-19 cases are present but declining. Bahl cautioned against trying to calculate a total H1N1 case count by extrapolating surveillance figures, noting that ICMR does not track hospital admissions and that testing everyone would be required for a comprehensive case count.
People with flu, cough, cold or fever have been advised to drink enough fluids, eat properly, rest, avoid close contact with others, cover their nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing and wash their hands frequently. Medical attention should be sought for warning signs such as breathing difficulty or chest pain. Elderly people, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals have been advised to take greater precautions and discuss influenza vaccination with their doctors.
Dr Yoginder Pal Singh, head of HLA and Molecular Biology at Agilus Diagnostics, said influenza can spread rapidly in crowded and poorly ventilated settings. He noted that symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, fatigue, chills and a runny or blocked nose can overlap with COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. Agilus Diagnostics recorded an H1N1 positivity rate of nearly 30 per cent at its reference laboratory among those tested over the past week. The government's review also covered dengue and malaria. Delhi has reported 570 dengue cases and 215 malaria cases this year, with no deaths from either disease. MCD, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment have been directed to intensify anti-larval measures, source reduction, spraying and fogging, particularly around schools, hospitals and other public places. Alongside the health response, the Delhi government has begun preparing for a possible rise in onion and sugar prices. Officials said there was currently no shortage of either commodity, but Gupta directed them to prepare measures against a potential price increase. The government plans to begin the process of procuring onions from NAFED and make them available to consumers at affordable rates. Distribution camps may be established at different locations across Delhi, with the government bearing transportation and related costs. Officials have also been asked to monitor supplies and prevent hoarding. On sugar, Minister Kapil Mishra said the government would enforce stock limits prescribed by the Centre. Establishments holding quantities above permitted limits could face action, while the department has been asked to examine ways of ensuring affordable availability.
Gupta said that if onion and sugar prices rise, the government would procure supplies from NAFED and make them available to consumers at lower rates.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.