Aizawl: The Mizoram government has formed a core committee to assess the situation and monitor the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).
The committee was set up following a meeting which was chaired by state health minister Lalrinpuii on Monday, an official statement said.
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The meeting also constituted rapid response teams at both the state and district levels to deal with the virus, it said.
The meeting attended by important health officials also reviewed the situation in the country as well as Mizoram, it said.
The integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) of the state health department has been keeping a close watch on the spread of the respiratory virus after its outbreak in China and the detection of some cases in India, a senior official said.
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IDSP state nodal officer Dr Rengpuia told reporters that the IDSP has been in close contact with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the IDSP issued a public notice informing citizens that HMPV is a respiratory disease, which is not new but has appeared globally in previous years.
The health department is closely monitoring the situation through the IDSP and there have been no recent reports of a surge in influenza-like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in the state, it said.
Clinical tests of various respiratory viruses under various laboratories of ICMR also indicated that there is no surge in positive cases of adenovirus, HMPV, RSV and others in the country, the IDSP said.
The HMPV test can be done at the state’s lone Zoram Medical College (ZMC), it said.
The IDSP emphasized that there was no need for panic, as the health department and surveillance network are diligently monitoring the situation.
All state-run hospitals and private hospitals are instructed to give daily reports on all Influenza-like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) related cases, it said.
Besides, the Pneumonia Control Programme or Social Awareness and Action Plan to Neutralize Pneumonia (SAANS ) campaign is currently being launched across the state, it said.
The health department also urged the general public to report any suspected cases of Influenza-like illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) to the nearest hospitals and Sub-centre or Health and Wellness Center.