PUNE We have prepared an isolation ward of eight beds at the civic-run Naidu hospital in case any patient needs to be isolated for coronavirus, said Dr Ramchandra Hankare, Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) chief health officer.
He was speaking during the meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday to take a review of the preparedness of hospitals and other stakeholders to deal with coronavirus.
Officials of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) health department, National Institute of Virology (NIV), medical superintendents and airport health officers attended the meeting in Mumbai.
Dr Pradeep Awate, surveillance officer with the state health department, said, “It was a review meeting wherein the CM asked about the preparedness of the stakeholders in dealing with coronavirus cases and problems while dealing with patients. We presented details as to how we are screening the visitors at the airport.
“Passengers, especially from China, are being screened and only those who show symptoms are being screened and their samples are sent to NIV. We also keep an eye on all those who have travelled to affected countries for the next 28 days through telephonic surveillance for extra precaution. Also, those who show symptoms are being sent to Mumbai’s Kasturba hospital for isolation,” he said.
Dr Archana Patil, state health officer, said, “The CM asked for protocols to be prepared for the discharge and transportation of the patients who are isolated now and are likely to be isolated in future. The technical committee will now meet again on Monday regarding the same and decide on the protocol.”
{{/usCountry}}Dr Archana Patil, state health officer, said, “The CM asked for protocols to be prepared for the discharge and transportation of the patients who are isolated now and are likely to be isolated in future. The technical committee will now meet again on Monday regarding the same and decide on the protocol.”
{{/usCountry}}Awate said that it is the National Centre for Disease Control which frames the guidelines for the same and modifies if need be. Awate said, “Since it is a new disease, the treatment procedure is not clear. It is also confirmed now that human to human transmission of coronavirus is possible after such a case was detected in Vietnam.”