More COVID-19 suspects admitted to the hospitals
Varanasi: While all precautionary measures are being adopted by the local administration, health department and railways to check the spread of COVID-19 (corona virus), two more suspected cases were admitted -one in Sir Sunderlal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University, and the other in DDU District Hospital on Thursday. Besides, six others travelling with them have been quarantined.
The first suspect -an American lady was admitted to BHU hospital on March 6, and since then 23 more persons including one in home quarantine were examined so far. On Wednesday, three suspected persons including a French lady were admitted to the BHU hospital. According to BHU spokesperson Rajesh Singh, the test reports of six persons including one in home quarantine are awaited, while 18 others including the American lady were discharged from the BHU hospital after tested negative.
The district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma held a meeting with the BHU authorities on Thursday to review the preparedness including the testing facility and isolation/quarantine arrangements to combat the virus. The DM asked the chief medical officer to evaluate the required number of doctors, ambulances, paramedical and nursing staff with immediate effect. He said that the 400-bed super specialty block of BHU hospital, newly built nurse hostel and psychiatric hospital are being readied for the corona patients. He expected from the BHU authorities to train paramedical staff in maximum number.
Meanwhile BHU’s Institute of Medical Sciences also issued a notification for the hospital on Thursday suggesting number of admissions should be restricted. Only those patients should be admitted where admission is absolutely essential. Elective surgical procedure should be kept minimum. The patients should be advised to not to come to the hospital for minor ailments. They should visit local/nearby hospitals for routine illness. The number of attendants coming along with patients should be minimized.
The registration of patients attending the OPDs should be monitored, and all departments can decide the number and inform the authorities. The hospital administration should arrange masks and sanitizers in sufficient number so that the same can be supplied to doctors and paramedical staff. The hospital administration should ensure proper cleaning and frequent sanitization.
The district judge Umesh Chandra Verma along with the DM also inspected the district jail on Thursday to take stock of the preparedness in view of corona virus threat. The railways also started thermal screening of the passengers at the Varanasi station of Northern Railway (NR) and Manduadih station of North Eastern Railway (NER). Besides, the spray of hypochlorite solution by fire brigades was also done on the streets.
