KOLKATA: Even as the Covid curve has started flattening in Bengal, a rise in Influenza-like illness (ILI) among the patients across the state has become a new cause of concern for the Health department.
It has already alerted all the Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMoH) in the districts and necessary instructions have been issued in this regard. Steps have been taken as Influenza affected patients can be more prone to Covid, according to the experts.
Sources said the Health department had observed that people were getting afflicted with ILI and various flu-like symptoms in various parts of the state. Amid Covid, this type of ailment has been causing panic among some people. In many cases, people are confused if they have contracted Covid virus. Elderly people are always susceptible to influenza. Patients are also getting admitted to various hospitals with influenza-like illness. The Health department has directed all the CMoHs to perform ILI tests on the suspected patients as much as possible. The health officials in the districts also asked to carry out H1N1 tests. The Health officials in the districts have been alerted and they have been asked to closely monitor the situation.
"If there is any cluster infection found, the matter has to be immediately reported to Swasthya Bhavan. An alert has been issued to the district Health officials as people are being affected with influenza in large numbers. Adequate number of tests must be done on the suspected patients," a senior Health official said.
According to sources, many private hospitals are getting patients who have been suffering from influenza or various flu-like symptoms. These are mostly elderly patients. Many others affected with ILI prefer to stay at home and undergo treatment in consultation of their house physicians.
"We do not have enough data to correlate the trend of COVID-19 and influenza. It is also believed that physical distancing and wearing masks can check people from being affected with influenza. Those who are affected with influenza are always susceptible to Covid," said Dr Gopeswar Mukherjee, a senior pathologist.