Karnataka Health Min calls recent influenza surge 'Monsoon-related infection'

After a surge in ILI (influenza-like illness) kind of infection in Karnataka, the state’s health minister said that the surge around monsoon is natural and that the state government is actively working to improve the situation. Karnataka Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar said, “ILI kind of infection is witnessed during monsoon year on year. This year also we're witnessing.”

He assured the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru that the state officials are closely monitoring the situation and said, “We're closely watching, taking inputs from private and government hospitals. There has been a marginal increase in ILI cases and viral fever”. Dr. Sudhakar further said, “People having ILI-like symptoms are subjected to COVID test as well. Out of the tested people, 99.5% of them have tested negative for it. So, from COVID's perspective, we're relieved. But definitely, we're watchful & taking all necessary precautionary measures”

Rise in hospitalisations but not in COVID cases

The authorities feared that the increase in hospitalisations in Bengaluru was an indicator of a surge in COVID-19 cases, however, the city’s daily COVID-19 cases have reduced in the past two weeks. Even the admitted patients were not tested positive for the Coronavirus. Even though the symptoms are similar and the treatment for ILI is not very different, which is to support the ailing respiratory system along with controlling other weaknesses. Therefore, even though the number of patients is increasing in the hospitals for COVID related symptoms, many of them are not affected by the Coronavirus.

Earlier in August, the government of Karnataka completed a door-to-door survey in Bengaluru to identify and isolate COVID-19 patients. The state officials discovered that 18,669 people have symptoms related to Influenza-Like Illness or Severe Acute Respiratory Infection. The survey was done between June 1 and August 15. All the people have who showed symptoms were asked to take a COVID-19 test and less than two thousand samples returned positive after undergoing RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests. Out of the 2,000 people who tested positive, at least 1,600 were ordered to isolate at home, the rest were sent to COVID wards at hospitals.

With ANI inputs

Image: ANI