Taking note of the reported H9N2 cases and clusters of respiratory illness among children in China, the health ministry on Friday said it is closely monitoring the outbreak in the neighbouring country.

It said there is a low risk to India from both the avian influenza as well as the clusters of respiratory illness reported in China. However, it said it is prepared for any health exigency that may emerge from the current situation.

Citing media reports which indicated clustering of cases of respiratory illness in children in northern China, the ministry said, “Based on the currently available information, an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China has been reported in the last few weeks. The usual causes of respiratory illness in children have been implicated and there has been no identification of an unusual pathogen or any unexpected clinical manifestations.”

The ministry informed that a meeting was recently held under the chairmanship of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to discuss the preparedness measures against human cases of avian influenza in the country against the backdrop of a human case of H9N2 (Avian influenza virus) in October 2023 in China that was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The overall risk assessment by WHO indicates a low probability of human to human spread and low case fatality rate among human cases of H9N2 reported to WHO so far. The need for strengthening surveillance among human, animal husbandry and wildlife sectors and improving coordination was recognized, it said.

“India is prepared for any kind of public health exigency. India is embarking on a one health approach to adopt a holistic and integrated roadmap towards addressing such public health issues. There has also been a significant strengthening of health infrastructure especially since the COVID pandemic,” the ministry said in a communiqué.

The Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary, to prepare health systems in responding effectively to the current and future pandemics /disasters, it said.

Apart from that, India’s surveillance and detection networks under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) have rich experience of dealing with challenging health situations during the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.