With the winter influenza season fast approaching, the Union Health Ministry has moved to reinforce national preparedness, saying surveillance shows no unusual rise in respiratory infections so far.
At a high-level review meeting convened in New Delhi, officials noted that India typically experiences two flu peaks — one during the monsoon (August–October) and another in the winter (January–March). This year’s early surveillance data indicates that circulating influenza strains remain within the usual pattern, with common seasonal variants such as H3N2 and Influenza B (Victoria), accompanied by a small proportion of H1N1.
The national monitoring network — combining real-time reporting from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), sentinel testing by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and AI-powered media scanning for health-related events — is operational and shows no signals of a surge in influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI).
To further bolster readiness, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) plans to hold a two-day national influenza preparedness meeting later this month, involving central and state-level health agencies. All district hospitals, medical colleges and state health departments have been tasked with completing readiness reviews and conducting mock drills in the coming fortnight.
The ministry reiterated that despite low influenza activity at present, vigilance will be maintained across the country. States and Union Territories have been advised to stay alert for possible seasonal surge and ensure that health-care systems remain ready to respond if case numbers rise.
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