In the wake of outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China, the State government has initiated precautionary measures to meet the exigency, if any. A five-bed isolation ward with ventilator and other facilities would be set up in every teaching and district hospital in the State. In addition, a nodal officer is being appointed to monitor the situation.
Medical and Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas held a review meeting on the coronavirus, at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
The Minister said that not a single case of novel coronavirus had been reported in the State till date. The government was keeping a strict vigil, and people need not panic. Medical and health officials were asked to be on high alert and work in accordance with Central government guidelines, he added.
Strict vigil
When contacted, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) K. S. Jawahar Reddy said screening facilities were being set up at all ports for crew and passengers. Also, coordination with the authorities at the Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai international airport terminals had been established for tracking passengers from China who were headed for Andhra Pradesh, he said.
Though the passengers were not showing symptoms, they were being monitored for 28 days from the time of arrival as a precautionary measure. “If at all any passenger shows any symptom, he / she will be admitted in the isolation ward established at GHCCD and KGH, Visakhapatnam,” he said.
An advisory and technical guidance documents of WHO had been already communicated to all districts. Screening for incoming international passengers at the Visakhapatnam airport had already begun. Detailed information regarding previous travel details and the next destination, etc, was being obtained.
The advisory had been issued to all officials concerned and superintendents of teaching hospitals. Sufficient Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) had been made available at all hospitals, he added.
