PUDUCHERRY/KARAIKAL: In the last three months, 79 people in Puducherry have been infected with H3N2 virus, Puducherry health department director Dr G Sriramulu has said. In Puducherry, all the hospitals are running a dedicated outpatient department for fever.
Anyone who comes to the hospital with symptoms like fever, cold, cough, sneezing, etc. is tested for H3N2, he said, adding that the health department is taking precautionary measures to detect infection at an early stage. From January to March 4, 109 cases of seasonal influenza and human metapneumovirus cases were reported, he said.
In Karaikal, around 900 people have been visiting hospitals over the last two weeks complaining of fever, of which around 10 people are being admitted for treatment daily. The general hospital and 12 primary health care centres in the district have been recording 50 to 60 fever cases every day for the past two weeks. Most of them are being treated as outpatients.
“Among those who visit the GH and PHCs every day, around 10 are getting admitted. They are getting discharged within a few days after treatment. We request the public to follow guidelines such as wearing face masks, washing hands frequently and maintaining social distance to prevent contracting fever and spreading it,” said Dr K Sivarajakumar, the deputy director of the health department in Karaikal district. However, none of the patients have been tested for H3N2. According to an ICMR report, the virus attack will start decreasing gradually by the end of March this year, said Dr G Sriramulu.