Coronavirus patient stable, TN CM wants vigilance at airport increased

“Despite being a diabetic, the patient with the virus is responding well to the treatment. The patient’s temperature has been under control for the past two days and he is under observation. The test samples of the other two patients who were suspected to be infected have turned negative. Out of 70 lab tests done, 61 test samples have resulted negative, one case was positive, while results on eight samples are awaited,” said Public Health Director Dr K Kolandaisamy.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami held a review meeting with officials of all the department and instructed officials to increase the screening in Chennai airport.

After the meeting, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said, “As many as 57 flights land and 8,500 passengers arrive on a daily basis here. The Chief Minister has instructed the Health Department to increase vigilance at the airport and to procure double the amount of safety gears for medical staff in the airport”.

Vijayabaskar added that the CCM has instructed the School Education Department to issue a circular to all schools instructing students to use handwash and circulate pamphlets on coronavirus.

A 30-year-old native of Kerala, who was working in Malaysia, has been quarantined at Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore, with symptoms of nover coronavirus infection. He landed in Tiruchy on March 7 with fever. He left to Thrissur, his hometown, by bus but checked into a hotel in Coimbatore as his condition worsened. On visiting a private hospital on Sunday night, he showed symptoms of coronavirus and was quarantined. His blood and swab samples have been sent to Chennai for confirmation.

Another youth, who returned from Sharjah on Monday morning was diagnosed with fever. He was advised home quarantine until he recovers.

State Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said on Monday that 1,088 people who are suspected to be infected with coronavirus are under house quarantine.

“Union Health Ministry has issued guidelines to screen all people coming from the five countries – China, South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran.

So far, 1,22,318 persons who came from these countries were screened, and 1,088 people are being kept in house quarantine,” said the Minister while addressing the media at the Secretariat.

A short film starring actor Yogi Babu on coronavirus and its spread has been approved by Chief Minister and would be released shortly, added Vijaya Baskar.

Meanwhile, health secretary Beela Rajesh said that all the passengers arriving from other countries were also being screened. Thermal scanners were available in more than the required numbers, she said. “The availability of all personal protective equipment is also adequate in the State. We have sought additional procurement of masks, medicines and sapline fluids to ensure adequate availability,” she added.

The Health department is also going to open isolation wards in the outskirts of Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchy. The Railway has been directed to undertake mass cleanliness at the railway premises.