The Kerala Health Department has made masks mandatory for people visiting hospitals. The update has come in the wake of an increase in cases of infectious diseases such as viral fevers, dengue and H1N1 in the state that has been receiving copious rain of late.
Health Minister Veena George, who chaired a state-level meeting of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) on Thursday, urged people to not take fever in children lightly and to seek treatment. The minister has also advised parents of sick children to not send them to school until they recover from the illness.
The health department is in the process of formulating an action plan for next month. “An action plan is being formulated to prevent epidemics and ensure better treatment,” the minister said in a press release. The public has also been urged to exercise caution against bird flu which has been mainly reported in the districts of Alappuzha and Kottayam.
“Those who keep pets and birds should be careful. Anyone who has handled dead birds or animals should report any signs of illness to health workers immediately,” the release from the minister's office said.
