Isolation wards opened at KMCH, Vellore govt hosp

The hospital authorities at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital and Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital have started isolation wards to screen and treat suspected cases of coronavirus.

The Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital has started a six-bed isolated ward for screening suspected cases of coronavirus. The ward will have specially-trained medical staff and doctors to screen the patients and undertake the laboratory tests.

“We have the facilities to carry out the screening and sample collection for the suspected cases of coronavirus. The patients with a history of travel to China or their relatives will be screened because there are no specific symptoms of the virus and every flu has similar symptoms as coronavirus,” said Dr K Vasanthamani, Dean, Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

The special ward at Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital was started after two persons who returned from China to their native place in Vellore were placed under isolation in their houses.

While one of the returnees was a medical student studying in China, the other was an employee in a private company there. Both of them returned to India on Tuesday and were allowed to travel to Chennai International Airport after screening.

Based on information from the officials, the district medical personnel visited the male passengers at their houses and quarantined them, ordering both of them not to venture out of their homes till notice from the healthcare officials.

While officials refused to reveal the identities of the duo, sources said that both showed no symptoms of the coronavirus but that they were isolated as a safety measure. Both were asked to report any change in their physical condition to the nurses who have been posted to monitor their situation round-the-clock.