The Maharashtra government has asked JJ Hospital, BJ Medical College in Pune, and Nagpur Medical College to conduct an epidemiological study of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and submit a report. It claims that every government medical college in the State is now equipped with an isolation ward and ventilators.
Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, secretary, Medical Education and Drugs, said, “JJ Hospital, BJ Medical College, and Nagpur Medical College will study the numbers, the spread of the disease in India, and what is a good way to tackle the virus.”
An officer from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s epidemiology cell called this a good move as the study will help trace the pattern of the virus’s arrival and spread in the country, which can be used for further research.
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Mr. Mukherjee listed a number of measures being planned by the State. “In three weeks, we will have new labs in five cities with a capacity to handle 100 tests per day. We have got approval for the labs from the Centre. We have also sought three more labs at Grant Medical College, BJ Medical College, and Haffkine Institute with a capacity of 100 each, totalling 1,100 samples per day (including 200 by Kasturba Hospital and 100 by KEM Hospital).”
Mr. Mukherjee also said all medical college hospitals in the State already have an isolation ward. “There is a diagnostic team of microbiologist, pulmologist, intensivist, and infectious diseases expert to guide the treatment. We are fully prepared to handle this.”