As the cases of Respiratory distress linked infant deaths continued unabated in Bengal, not only did a sense of panic is setting in among the minds of the parents, but also worrying public health experts.

According to media reports, as per unconfirmed reports so far, 149 infants have lost their lives across the state due to respiratory distress triggered by viral infections.

People are finding it hard to secure beds in hospitals from block to district levels alike, across the state.

Meanwhile, two more deaths have been reported from the state capital’s Dr BC Roy Paediatric Hospital in the past  24 hours.

While the first case was an 18-month-old girl from the Barasat area of Kolkata, who was hospitalised for the past 8 days with fever, cough and cold, while in the second case, a 26-day-old boy from North 24 Pargana District, was in NICU for the past three weeks.

Meanwhile, the task force formed by the state government to combat the situation met for the first time  in Kolkata on March 13, 2023, to take stock of the situation.

According to reports, the task force has recommended that doctors working in private hospitals need to be trained in preventing acute respiratory infections, including those caused by adenovirus.

The State Health Department has instructed the ICDS workers to conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns.

The task force further recommended that specialist doctors should supervise the treatment of any such cases.

It may be recalled that the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had written a letter to all the states directing the states to keep a close watch on rising cases of flu across the country.