PANAJI: Goa is yet to receive any guidelines from the health ministry regarding the virus cocktail in China, but the state has advised the people to refrain from self-medicating in case of a fever or any other illness and follow regular Covid protocols.
State epidemiologist Dr Prashant Suryavanshi said a person with a fever or other illness must report to a health centre or hospital as early as possible so that investigations can begin.
“Don’t wait at home for five to six days until the problem worsens,” he said.
“If someone reaches the hospital late, the diagnosis starts late and everything is delayed. Once a patient is checked early on, a doctor will assess the case according to the symptoms and will then have a fair idea of what the issue is and advise accordingly,” he said.
Besides this, Suryavanshi advised regular washing of hands and wearing of masks in crowded places and while visiting a hospital. “These are universal precautions now for any viral disease, not only Covid-19,” he said.
Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that the Union health ministry is closely monitoring the H9N2 cases in northern China.
States are yet to receive any guidelines from the Centre about avian influenza and respiratory illnesses reported in China.
“There is a low-risk to India from both avian influenza cases and respiratory illness clusters reported in China,” he said, adding that a meeting was chaired by the DGHS to discuss preparedness measures against human cases of avian influenza in the country in the backdrop of a human case of H9N2 (avian influenza virus) in October in China that was reported to the WHO.
“The overall risk assessment by the WHO indicates a low probability of human-to-human spread and low case fatality rate among human cases of H9N2 reported to the WHO so far,” the ministry said.
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