Rescuers have pulled out all 41 workers trapped for 17 days inside a collapsed Uttarakhand tunnel after rat miners drilled through the debris, triggering jubilation. NDTV speaks to Akhilesh Singh, one of the workers who was trapped in the tunnel for 17 days.

At least six states have put their health infrastructure on alert mode after the Centre’s directive to review readiness in view of a surge in respiratory illnesses among children in China. State governments in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Tamil Nadu have asked hospitals and healthcare staff to ensure preparedness to tackle patients complaining of respiratory issues.

The Karnataka health department has also asked citizens to be aware of the seasonal flu. Listing the symptoms and risk factors of seasonal flu, the advisory also mentions dos and don’ts. These include covering the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, frequent washing of hands, avoiding touching the face, and using masks in crowded spots.

The advisory issued by Rajasthan health department said the situation is “not worrisome at present” but the medical staff should keep vigil and prevent spread of infectious diseases. It added that adequate arrangements should be made in paediatric units and medicine departments.

In Gujarat, Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said the healthcare infrastructure created during the COVID-19 pandemic was being strengthened as a precautionary measure in view of the China situation. The state government has asked government officials to review their readiness.

The Uttarakhand government directed health officials to step up surveillance for cases of respiratory illnesses. Three districts of Uttarakhand — Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh — share borders with China.

The Haryana health department has put out a directive, stressing that any “clustering of unusual respiratory illness” in public or private hospitals must be reported immediately.

In Tamil Nadu, government-run and private hospitals have received a similar direction as the state health department takes steps to boost preparedness.

A statement by the state health department said that while the state hasn’t reported any child pneumonia cases yet, officials have been asked to keep vigil as a precautionary measure.

This comes after the Union Health Ministry’s advisory to states, asking them to review preparedness to tackle any emerging situation. The Union Health Ministry has said the situation is not alarming, and it is closely monitoring it.

“All States and Union Territories have been advised to implement ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of COVID-19’, shared earlier this year, which provides for integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens presenting as cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI),” the ministry said in a statement.

The surge in respiratory illnesses cases in northern China, particularly among children, has sparked concern four years after Covid-19 emerged in the country and went on to become a pandemic that changed the world.

Chinese health authorities, however, have said the rising infections are a mix of already known viruses and are linked to the country’s first full cold season after strict Covid curbs were lifted last December, news agency AFP reported.

Experts said that while the new situation remains unclear, there is little to suggest the cases were caused by a new virus.

The 41 workers freed from the collapsed Uttarakhand tunnel late Tuesday endured 17 days in an underground prison – a circumstance guaranteed to test the resolve of most and which called for a strong leader to help the men stay calm. That figure was Gabbar Singh Negi – who was born 260 km away in Pauri Garhwal district and had the unfortunate distinction of been in three collapsed tunnels.

Over the 400+ hours the men spent buried – nearly 200 feet in the ground – Mr Negi taught his colleagues yoga and meditation, ensured they stayed physically and mentally active, and underlined his commitment to their safety by telling them he would be the last to be rescued.

“‘I am senior-most… I will be the last to come out…’, this is what he told me,” a smiling and visibly relieved Jaymal Singh Negi, his brother, told NDTV Wednesday morning, hours after all 41 men were extracted and given extensive medical check-ups to ensure they had suffered no injuries.

READ | Trapped Workers Safe, Focus Now On What Led To Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse

That all 41 survived the disaster with few injuries, and emerged with big smiles, is due, in no small part, to the effort of Gabbar Negi in keeping a potentially catastrophic situation under control.

“I am very happy… the family is very happy. Not just the family but the whole country… the whole country prayed for them. When they came out and we saw they were safe, we distributed sweets and garlands,” Jaymal Negi, who has been at the tunnel collapse site for two weeks, told NDTV.

READ | “Will Go Home, Rest For 2 Months”: Rescued Worker Narrates 17-Day Ordeal

“I kept talking to him daily. First through the pipes they put into the ground but then with phones that they gave us. I advised my brother to do yoga. He said, ‘yes, we are all doing it’.” Mr Negi said.

With a big grin on his face, Jaymal Negi told NDTV of his brother’s bravery. “He is very brave. When I asked him if there will be a stampede when the rescue starts, he told me, ‘I am senior, I will be last’.”

“He told me they had made a list and that there will be order.”

And it isn’t just Jaymal Negi who has spoken in praise of his brother’s leadership qualities.

Several of the rescued workers NDTV spoke to highlighted Mr Negi’s role in keeping them safe and happy, which included playing games like ludo and chess. One of the psychiatrists at the site, Dr Rohit Gondwal, told news agency PTI the trapped workers were also playing ‘chor police’.

READ | “There’s Food For 25 Days Still Inside Tunnel”: Rescued Worker Exclusive

Mr Negi’s bravery was also commended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke to the rescued workers via telephone last night and told them, “It is a matter of happiness for me… I cannot express it in words. If something bad had happened… (I) can’t say how we would have taken that.”

The Prime Minister commended Mr Negi for his bravery.

One of the rescue workers, Akhilesh Singh, told NDTV he was on his way home when the tunnel collapsed; this was on November 12, as the rest of the country was busy celebrating Diwali.

READ | “Practised Yoga, Took Walks”: Rescued Workers Interact With PM

All 41 men were safely pulled out Tuesday night after “rat hole” miners – practitioners of a mining process banned by the government in 2014 because it is unsafe – did what high-tech drilling machines could not – break through the final 10-12 metres of rock and debris to free the workers.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.