Latest news with #DirectorateofPublicHealth
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Watch out for symptoms of Nipah virus infection, no need to panic, says Directorate of Public Health
In the wake of Nipah virus infections surfacing in Kerala, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine has advised people to watch for symptoms. In particular, if anyone develops symptoms after travelling to affected areas in Kerala or after coming into contact with an infected person, they should visit the nearest government hospital immediately. People should be aware of symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, sleeplessness, shortness of breath or dizziness, and seizures, it said. With cases of Nipah virus infections reported in Palakkad and Mallapuram districts, the State government was monitoring the situation and taking all precautionary measures. Though no case was recorded in the State, the public are advised not to panic, stay alert, and take basic precautionary measures, the DPH said in a statement issued on Thursday. Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness and is transmitted to humans through fruit bats. The disease can be spread by eating fruits bitten or licked by bats or through direct contact with an infected person. People should avoid eating fruits that are not washed properly or those that have fallen from trees. They should wash their hands with soap regularly, the statement said. District Health Officers were told to closely monitor disease prevention measures, particularly in districts adjoining Kerala, and all required precautionary measures should be taken. Medical teams in such districts should be prepared to identify suspected cases early and take measures.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Anti-rabies vaccine alone is not enough when children suffer deep stray dog bites, says Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health
Citing two recent rabies deaths despite vaccination in Kerala, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine reiterated the need to train healthcare workers to identify the dog bite category and administer rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) appropriately along with anti-rabies vaccine (ARV). Re-emphasising the set of scientific guidelines that healthcare workers should strictly adhere to, the directorate said two boys, who were bitten by stray dogs in Kerala, died despite being vaccinated. The reasons for their deaths could be a delay in starting post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), improper wound cleaning, skipping of doses, failure to administer RIG for category III exposures (transdermal bites or scratches, licks on broken skin), and improper vaccine storage or administration as recommended by the manufacturer. In a communication to district and city health officers, T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health, said rabies PEP is life-saving only if done properly. Proper wound care, timely and complete vaccination, RIG (if indicated), and the storage of vaccines at proper temperatures are crucial, he said. They should be aware that rabies is a deadly viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system, and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, for which the PEP must be administered correctly and promptly. Standard guidelines for rabies vaccination after a suspected or confirmed dog bite should be strictly followed. Elaborating the possible reasons for rabies death despite vaccination, the directorate said if a child had deep or bleeding wounds, RIG should be administered along with ARV. RIG neutralises the virus at the site of wound, especially in the initial days before vaccine-induced antibodies develop. Without RIG, the virus can spread to the nervous system, even if ARV is given later, it said. Key reasons If there is a delay in starting PEP even by a few days, especially with severe bites near the face or head, the vaccine may not prevent the disease. Missed or delayed dose of the vaccine and incorrect administration (wrong injection site or route of administration) could also be a cause. Improper cleaning of wounds is another possible cause, as the first and most important step is thorough washing with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. The directorate added that children were at a higher risk as the immature immune system might respond less robustly. Listing out the guidelines for PEP, the directorate said the bite should be assessed — category I (touching/feeding animals, licks on intact skin-no PEP required), category II (minor scratches/abrasions without bleeding-vaccine only) and category III (vaccine and RIG).
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Anti-rabies vaccine alone is not enough when children suffer deep stray dog bites, says DPH
Citing two recent rabies deaths despite vaccination in Kerala, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine reiterated the need to train healthcare workers to identify the dog bite category and administer rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) appropriately along with anti-rabies vaccine (ARV). Re-emphasising the set of scientific guidelines that healthcare workers should strictly adhere to, the directorate said two boys, who were bitten by stray dogs in Kerala, died despite being vaccinated. The reasons for their deaths could be a delay in starting post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), improper wound cleaning, skipping of doses, failure to administer RIG for category III exposures (transdermal bites or scratches, licks on broken skin), and improper vaccine storage or administration as recommended by the manufacturer. In a communication to district and city health officers, T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health, said rabies PEP is life-saving only if done properly. Proper wound care, timely and complete vaccination, RIG (if indicated), and the storage of vaccines at proper temperatures are crucial, he said. They should be aware that rabies is a deadly viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system, and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, for which the PEP must be administered correctly and promptly. Standard guidelines for rabies vaccination after a suspected or confirmed dog bite should be strictly followed. Elaborating the possible reasons for rabies death despite vaccination, the directorate said if a child had deep or bleeding wounds, RIG should be administered along with ARV. RIG neutralises the virus at the site of wound, especially in the initial days before vaccine-induced antibodies develop. Without RIG, the virus can spread to the nervous system, even if ARV is given later, it said. Key reasons If there is a delay in starting PEP even by a few days, especially with severe bites near the face or head, the vaccine may not prevent the disease. Missed or delayed dose of the vaccine and incorrect administration (wrong injection site or route of administration) could also be a cause. Improper cleaning of wounds is another possible cause, as the first and most important step is thorough washing with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. The directorate added that children were at a higher risk as the immature immune system might respond less robustly. Listing out the guidelines for PEP, the directorate said the bite should be assessed — category I (touching/feeding animals, licks on intact skin-no PEP required), category II (minor scratches/abrasions without bleeding-vaccine only) and category III (vaccine and RIG).
New Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
TN's Covid survey shows 97 per cent of elderly population has protective immunity
CHENNAI: A serosurvey for Covid-19 conducted by the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine among elderly people in six districts of Tamil Nadu in the month of April has shown 97% of the surveyed population to have protective levels of immunity. The results showing high seroprevalence of SARS CoV-2 IgG antibodies, coming amid concerns of a surge in number of Covid-19 cases, showed that the infections by SARS CoV-2 virus could not cause severe illness, the health department said. It added that deaths due to Covid-19 are almost nil in TN. According to the DPH, a total of 3,643 blood samples were collected from persons as part of the elderly panel survey in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Dharmapuri and Kanniyakumari districts. 'Preliminary analysis of 1,214 samples tested for SARS-CoV antibodies (IgG) showed the protective levels of immunity to be 97%,' a DPH release said. The press release said that even after a gap of three years in conducting the present Phase V of the serosurvey, the prevalence of protective level of SARS CoV antibodies is very high and significant. Effective vaccination drives implemented by the state government might be responsible for the high level of protection against SARS CoV-2 virus, it said. 'In addition, natural infection and subclinical infection due to the weakened circulating Omicron sub lineage of SARS CoV-2 virus could have also enhanced the development of antibodies,' the release added. The state has not officially released data on Covid-19 cases after the recent surge across the country.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Phase V of COVID-19 survey finds 97% seropositivity among the elderly in six districts of Tamil Nadu
Phase V of the COVID-19 serosurvey, conducted this April among elderly persons in Chennai and five districts, has found a 97% seropositivity (presence of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2). Of all five phases of serosurveys taken up in Tamil Nadu, the latest has recorded the maximum protective level of COVID-19 antibodies even after a three-year gap as the last serosurvey was done in December 2021. According to the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine-State Public Health Laboratory (DPH-SPHL), 3,643 blood samples were collected from elderly persons as a part of the Elderly Panel Survey conducted in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchi, Dharmapuri, and Kanniyakumari districts in April. Preliminary analysis of 1,214 samples, which were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG, found the protective levels of immunity at 97%. Considering the three-year gap in conducting Phase V of the serosurvey, the prevalence of protective level of SARS-CoV-2 IgG is 'very high and significant', the DPH-SPHL said in a release. An effective vaccination drive by the Tamil Nadu government may be responsible for the high level of protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition, natural infection and subclinical infection due to the weakened circulating Omicron sub-lineage of SARS-CoV-2 could have also enhanced the development of antibodies. Owing to the high seroprevalence of antibodies, the virus could not cause severe illness, while deaths are almost nil in the State, it said. Health Minister Ma. Subramanian told reporters that this survey had shown that the immunity levels had increased in the State. 'In this situation, a non-virulent strain (of SARS-CoV-2) may not cause much impact, but it is important for persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, immune-compromised persons, and the elderly to take precautions while visiting public places,' he said. While reiterating that there was no need to panic, he said it had been advised that the elderly, immune-compromised persons, persons with co-morbidities, and pregnant women should wear masks, wash their hands frequently, and maintain physical distance at public places. In the first serosurvey, done in October 2020, the seroprevalence was 32%. This was followed by the second phase in April 2021 that recorded a seropositivity of 29%. Phase III in August 2021 and Phase IV in December 2021 found a seroprevalence of 70% and 87% respectively. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were detected from the community samples with the CLIA technology. Each phase of the serosurvey covered more than 25,000 samples selected by population-proportionate sampling across the State. Cluster pouches were used for uniformity in the sample collection process. The DPH-SPHL functioned as the apex laboratory for the State to provide lab training, logistics support, quality assurance, testing and reporting of the COVID-19 serosurvey carried out in the State, the release noted.
