Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: After the pneumonia outbreak in China, Kerala health officials in the state are on high alert. An expert committee has met to analyse, monitor and review the situation.
Kerala is often more susceptible to viruses, as there are more international movements in the State. Another reason is that a major part of the State’s population is spread across the globe. From monkeypox to COVID-19, the first case was reported in Kerala.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said, “What we know is that China has clarified that there is nothing to worry about. When the news came out, our expert committee met to analyse the situation.”
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the ongoing situation of the pneumonia outbreak in China is being keenly observed by the health institutions in India and all appropriate actions are being taken. Speaking to the media, Mandaviya said, “The government is continuously paying attention to the situation of pneumonia spreading within China. ICMR and the Director- General of Health Services are keeping an eye on it and taking necessary action.”
It is pertinent to note that hospitals in Beijing and northern China are grappling with a rise in respiratory illnesses among children as the country enters its first winter after easing stringent COVID-19 restrictions nearly a year ago. The largest paediatric hospital in nearby Tianjin broke a record as more than 13,000 children came to outpatient and emergency departments.