NEW DELHI: The capital reported 138 fresh H1N1 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of cases this year to 2,446, while the total number of Influenza A cases stood at 3,177, the government said on Wednesday.
Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh held a virtual meeting with medical directors and medical superintendents of government hospitals to assess preparedness for H1N1, seasonal influenza and other respiratory illnesses.
The minister directed hospitals to strengthen emergency services and ensure adequate availability of isolation beds, doctors, testing facilities, medicines and other essential resources.
Hospitals were asked to maintain at least five isolation beds, while larger hospitals were directed to keep 10 or more beds for managing influenza and vector-borne disease cases. They were also told to maintain shift-wise duty rosters and ensure round-the-clock availability of doctors and medical staff.
He directed hospitals to establish or strengthen dedicated flu corners in emergency departments, with senior residents deployed for emergency duty. Suspected patients should be assessed promptly and swab samples collected and sent for testing wherever clinically indicated.
Hospitals were also asked to ensure adequate stocks of viral transport medium and other supplies required for respiratory specimen collection and testing. Special emphasis is placed on children and elderly people, with hospitals directed to ensure timely assessment and appropriate care.
A review of medicine availability was also conducted, with hospital administrations asked to submit regular reports on stocks of essential medicines. The health department will continue monitoring influenza trends and hospital preparedness, focusing on timely testing, adequate isolation capacity, essential medicines and uninterrupted emergency services, the government said.
Testing and treatment facilities are available at government hospitals, health facilities and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, it added.