Odisha asks districts to keep surveillance on ILI, SARI as H3N2 cases detected
Bhubaneswar (PTI): With 59 cases of H3N2 detected in Odisha, the state government has asked the district authorities to intensify ILI and SARI surveillance and suggested citizens to maintain personal hygiene and avoid crowded places, a top official said.
Health and Family Welfare secretary Shalini Pandit told district collectors and concerned health officials to be step up ILI (influenza-like illness) and SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) surveillance at health facility level and community level.
Most of the illnesses are mild and self limiting and the state government has stressed on handwashing, personal hygiene and avoiding crowded places. These are the key measures to be followed like during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pandit said.
District Integrated Disease Surveillance Project units are in readiness and constantly monitoring the situation, the official said adding that labs are kept in readiness to handle any surge in cases.
H1N1 and H3N2 are subtypes of Influenza A virus. It is a common flu virus found in children and the elderly from December to March, the department said in a statement. The government maintained that influenza virus is a common seasonal virus which caused fever, cough and running nose. In persons with comorbidity or are elderly it may give rise to respiratory complications, it said.
"Ninety of the persons recover by themselves as this viral illness is self limiting in nature. The rest ten per cent of the cases having ILI and SARI symptoms may develop breathing difficulties, persistent cough and need medicines," Pandit said.
Most of the cases are, however, mild and self limiting. But masks must be used by immunocompromised and persons suffering from flu-like symptoms, she said.
The state's 30 drug public health laboratories (DPHL) are continuously monitoring the trend of ILI and SARI cases by testing samples regularly in 23 RTPCR labs and DPHLs for detection of Covid cases, the health secretary said.
The 30 DPHLs are doing H1N1 testing on regular basis. Each of them have the requisite infrastructure and lab logistics to conduct the required tests should a surge in cases is seen in the near future, the department sources said.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
