E-Paper
10 with travel history put in home quarantine in Dhanbad, two missing
The district health department has put 10 of 12 people from the coal city who had recently returned from abroad in home quarantine even as it intensified search
The district health department has put 10 of 12 people from the coal city who had recently returned from abroad in home quarantine even as it intensified search of two other persons who are missing from the list.
Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme (IDSP) nodal officer, Dhanbad, Dr MS Jaffarullah, said on information of New Delhi airport authorities, the WHO officials had in March first week sent a list of 12 people with foreign travel history.
Since they had travel history, they have been put in home quarantine for 14 days as per guidelines despite screening at Indira Gandhi International Airport and later in Dhanbad where none of them showed any sign of coronavirus.
“Their 14 days quarantine period would complete in three to four days. If any symptom surfaces, it would be extended to 28 days. Otherwise, home quarantine will be withdrawn,” said Dr Jaffarullah.
However, the IDSP nodal officer said two of 12 on the list are still missing. “We searched them at their given addresses but neighbours informed that they had left the area two years ago. A search is still on to trace them,” he added.
Dhanbad civil surgeon Dr Gopal Das said for protection the health department has set up a 20-bed quarantine ward at Sadar Hospital and 10 isolation wards at Patliputra Medical College Hospital (PMCH).
Besides, as per directive of health secretary Dr Nitin Madan Kulkarni, all private nursing homes have been directed to set up quarantine wards in their establishment immediately. A meeting with them has also been called on March 20 to review the protection step.
“The district health department is all set to collect throat swab of suspected patient at Sadar Hospital from Friday. Now, cases would not be sent to Ranchi for samples collection but the district health department would directly send it to Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) in Jamshedpur,” said Dr Das.
Dr Das said besides masks and sanitisers for suspected people, personal protection equipment have also been stored for the safety of doctors and staffers who would deal with the patient.
