HMPV alert: Mock drills held in J&K’s hospitals to test readiness

Srinagar, Jan 09: The J&K Health and Medical Education Department on Thursday conducted a mock drill exercise in hospitals to test the readiness of hospitals especially oxygen facilities for any possible eventuality in view of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in the country.
The mock drill was conducted in all the hospitals in the Union Territory to test the preparedness of oxygen facilities and lift systems as a precautionary measure.
Health officials said that the mock exercise was conducted in three rounds, starting at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m., to evaluate and ensure the effectiveness and real-time updating of the healthcare response system.
“The exercise aimed to test the preparedness of medical teams, the functionality of equipment, and the coordination among various departments to address any potential health emergencies efficiently,” he said.
The mock drill was held following a high-level meeting of senior officers on Tuesday which was attended by Directors of Health Services Kashmir/Jammu, Chief Medical Officers, and Medical Superintendents of hospitals.
The mock drill involved key health professionals, district administration officials, and emergency response teams to test the efficiency of the existing healthcare infrastructure.
Medical Superintendent Children Hospital, Bemina, Dr Abdul Rasheed Parra told Rising Kashmir that the hospital has also kept an isolation ward for HMPV in case of any possible case as a precautionary measure.
“It is a routine virus. Our ICUs and theatre are working normally. We have kept one 28-bed isolation ward as a precaution to tackle any such situation,” he said.
Officials said there is no cause for concern in this regard, as both the Government of India and the World Health Organization (WHO) have stated that this is an old virus with low transmission and infectivity rates and minimal morbidity and mortality rates.
The J&K Health Department is in touch with the Union Health Ministry, World Health Organization (WHO), and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for any updates.
On Jan 04, the Union Health Ministry held a meeting urging people to remain calm and assured that India is prepared to handle respiratory illnesses.
The Ministry has confirmed the detection of HMPV cases in India while assuring the public that the virus is not new to the country and poses no unusual threat. The ministry added that HMPV has been circulating since its identification in 2001.
The Ministry has advised states to strengthen and review the ILI/SARI surveillance adding that an increase in respiratory illnesses is usually seen during the winter months.