With the neighbouring Telangana registering its first case of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), the Andhra Pradesh government has gone into the alert mode, and reviewed the preventive measures required, the arrangements in place to identify persons with a history of travel to the affected countries/places, and create awareness among the people.
The development in Telangana has come as a cause for worry for many persons who have been to Hyderabad in the recent past.
The helplines – 0866-2410978, 1100 or 1902 – set up by the government received many calls from the people with symptoms of common cold on Tuesday, officials said.
However, none of them has a travel history to the affected places.
Rapid response teams
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, at a review meeting, asked the officials of the Health Department to take preventive measures, besides creating awareness among the people on the precautions to be taken.
An official press release here said that Mr. Reddy asked the authorities to be alert and constitute rapid response teams should the need arise.
Mr. Reddy, however, said that there was no need for the people to fear. He asked the officials to ensure availability of isolation wards at the district hospitals and teams of trained doctors.
‘Keep masks ready’
He further directed the officials to display at the ward and village secretariats the precautionary measures to be taken, and ensure that sufficient masks were kept ready by immediately placing the purchase order.
Minister for Health Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said that at present eight hospitals were equipped with the isolation wards and four more were being readied.
He said the State was well-equipped to deal with any eventuality.
“At present, the State has a stock of 1,10,340 N-95 masks and over 12,000 personal protection masks. A contingent will attend the national training programme to be organised in New Delhi on March 6 on how to handle the cases,” the Minister said.
Special Chief Secretary (Medical, Health and Family Welfare) K.S. Jawahar Reddy said, “The situation is being monitored round the clock and the helplines are functioning 24 hours.”
He said all persons entering the State from abroad were being screened and asked to isolate themselves, irrespective of the signs of the disease.
“So far, 263 persons have come to the State after visiting the coronavirus-affected countries. All of them have been placed under observation. Of them, 211 have completed the 28-day observation period and 50 asymptomatic persons are under home isolation,” he said.
“Out of 11 samples sent for examination, 10 tested negative for the virus and one person’s report is yet to be received,” he added.
The Health Department bulletin said that two symptomatic persons were hospitalised as of Monday.
In Vizag
Speaking to The Hindu, S. Tirupathi Rao, DMHO, Visakhapatnam, where the highest number (94) of persons with travel history to the affected countries are present, said all these persons were under home isolation. They were being visited in person by the field staff of the department every day.
“They enquire about their health condition and report to the higher-ups, and flag any sign of deterioration. The persons in home isolation are also cooperating with the officials,” he said.
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