Bhubaneswar: Amid the detection of cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the Odisha government Tuesday asked all medical facilities and laboratories in the state to remain prepared to tackle any exigency.
After holding a high-level meeting here in the morning, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said a small number of HMPV cases have been detected in some parts of the country so far.
However, no case has been detected in Odisha so far. So, there is no need to panic, he said.
“I held discussions with authorities of major medical colleges and hospitals across the state through video conferencing and directed them to remain on alert. We are prepared and ready to deal with any unforeseen situation, if it arises,” he said.
Premier national healthcare institutions such as AIIMS, Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), a unit of ICMR, and Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) were asked to remain prepared, Mahaling said.
As the state is going to host the 18th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention here from January 8 to 10, all hospitals of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, including the private ones, were directed to remain prepared to provide necessary healthcare services to the international guests, if needed, he said.
The health minister advised people, who have cough, cold, and fever-like symptoms, to undergo testing and primary treatment at healthcare facilities.
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The Centre has not issued any advisory yet. However, the state will follow all guidelines and SOPs to be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he added.
State Public Health Director Nilakantha Mishra said HMPV cases were first detected in 2001 in the Netherlands and several cases were detected in different parts of India in the past as well. As the awareness among people has increased, it is being reported by the media, he said.
“The detected patients don’t have any foreign travel history. It means the virus was there in our country and it is indigenous,” Mishra said, adding, there has been no report of detection of HMPV in any person who has travelled abroad so far.
PTI
