5 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Maharashtra, surge in calls to helpline

All patients in Pune; citizens panic, call state helpline for issues ranging from use of Chinese products sold online to eating poultry and getting health certificate

As Maharashtra on Tuesday confirmed its first five positive cases of Covid-19 — the new strain of coronavirus which has killed more than 3,000 patients across the globe — the state helpline number witnessed a surge in calls this week.

A woman walks inside the premises of a hospital where a special ward has been set up for the coronavirus disease in Mumbai, March 5, 2020. (REUTERS)

The helpline received calls seeking guidance on issues ranging from use of Chinese products sold online and eating poultry, to procuring health certificates for employees with a travel history.

To assist people with queries, two weeks ago, the state health department started a 24/7 helpline number (020-26127394).

With the first five confirmed Covid-19 cases in Pune, the helpline received more than 150 calls between Monday and Tuesday afternoon. Every day, the helpline has been recording over 200 calls.

“We were receiving around 10 to 12 calls when we started the helpline number. But this fortnight, the number has increased to more than 200 calls daily. The highest number of calls is during the mornings and nights,” said Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer in charge of the helpline number.

According to officials, almost 5% of calls are to confirm the accuracy of the helpline. More than 60% of callers are those who have travelled abroad and are seeking guidance about precautionary measures.

“Only if the caller has any travel history with symptoms, we ask them to get quarantined at a district-level isolation ward. Otherwise, we instruct them to stay isolated at home for 14 days, and our health officers follow up with them over the phone,” said Awate.

As HT has reported earlier, many people are developing seasonal and viral flu infections owing to a change in the

season. As the novel coronavirus has symptoms similar to that of seasonal influenza, the helpline has been receiving more than 100 such calls every day.

With rumours on social media and lack of knowledge about the virus, many fear that Chinese products or consuming Chinese food can lead to an infection.

“We get panic calls from people after ordering products online from China, asking if there is a need to sanitise the product. We also receive

calls about Chinese food,” said Awate.

Many corporate houses also call the helpline seeking health certificates for their employees who have returned from affected countries.

Officials said they answer at least 10 such calls every day from companies, as a result of which the state health department has issued a circular stating that it is not mandatory to procure a health certificate.

“We even get calls wherein people try to register complaints about the sale of ‘unregulated’ poultry products in their societies. Then we counsel and sensitise them about coronavirus,” he said.