Over 12,000 ARI cases, 19 deaths reported in West Bengal

Nineteen deaths due to adenovirus infections have been reported in West Bengal, and 12,343 cases of acute respiratory infections, in children, have been admitted to the state’s hospitals in the last two and a half months, the West Bengal government has stated.

The status shared on Monday night, mentioned that of the 19 deaths, 13 cases were of serious comorbidities. “New admissions in hospitals have come down from around 800 daily, a week back, to 600 per day now. A high-level Task Force on ARI has been formed under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal and consisting of renowned experts meeting on (a) day to day basis to monitor the situation and take corrective actions,” an official note stated.

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In the first meeting, held on Monday, the task force decided that training will be organised for practitioners in the private domain. The Indian Medical Association and Indian Association of Paediatricians will be engaged in generating awareness and sensitising their members.

Other decisions include the issuance of advisories to Anganwadi workers for screening young children and for generating awareness in families for early identification of the symptoms of respiratory infection and reaching out to people through social media and government portals. House visits by ASHA workers, monitoring of treatment protocols in hospitals by doctors and experts, and sensitisation of private sector hospitals have also been taken up.