Eros Times
Delhi:EROS TIMES: Addressing a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat on Wednesday, CM Arvind Kejriwal said the health department of the Delhi government has characterized measures to control the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Delhi.
Several health department officials, as well as airport and MCD authorities, have been directed to ensure that all measures such as surveillance and screening are done to prevent the outbreak of the virus.
Briefing the media on a meeting held with the health officials, MCD commissioners, and other department officials, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “We are doing whatever we can to control the Coronavirus disease from spreading.
A State Level Task Force has been constituted in Delhi for the same and I, as the Chief Minister of the state, as well as the Chairman of the task force, am personally monitoring the team. Members of all the important departments in Delhi, state officials, and police officials have been included in the task force.
A meeting of the state task force was held recently, along with the concerned health department officials to deliberate on the current situation.
We have allotted responsibilities to separate departments and officials concerned.
We have to work in an emergency mode to prevent the outbreak of the virus. We have one confirmed case in Delhi till now, and the patient has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.
He is the resident of Mayur Vihar, who had traveled first from Italy to Budapest and then from Vienna to Delhi.
We have identified 88 people who he came in contact with after coming back to India. We are trying to conduct screening on all those 88 identified people.”
CM Arvind Kejriwal said that his government has taken various measures to contain the outbreak of the virus. Thermal scanning of all the passengers landing from abroad is being conducted on the airports and referring them to RML hospital in case any symptoms are observed. Until now, 1,16,579 patients have been screened at the airport. “All the three MCDs, and the NDMC, are contacting the hotels to reach all the passengers coming in from abroad and conduct screening on them.
All the passengers are kept under observation for any possible symptoms of the virus since the virus takes 14 days to show signs or symptoms. 5769 passengers who belonged to Delhi have landed, out of which 4445 passengers have not shown any signs or symptoms until now, and we are trying to establish contacts with the remaining 1324 passengers. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital are the two nodal hospitals for the same.
We have developed the capacity to handle an influx of patients in around 19 Delhi Government hospitals, and six private hospitals, wherein adequate arrangements were also made during the outbreak of Swine Flu.
Isolation beds and isolation wards are being created to provide adequate treatment,” said CM Arvind Kejriwal.
He added that two labs, one in AIIMS and the other in NCDC have also been made operational, with a capacity to test 250 samples daily. A lab in Lady Hardinge Hospital will also be made operational by today evening, and if required, a lab in LNJP will also be made operational.
“We have sufficient N95 masks and kits for distribution. Proper dissemination of information and spreading awareness regarding the virus is also required,” he added.
CM Arvind Kejriwal said that school children also need to be made aware of Coronavirus and steps to prevent the disease from spreading.
A meeting was also held with the education department where the need to spread awareness regarding Coronavirus was also necessitated.
The state-level task force will meet at regular intervals to discuss the responsibilities of various departments and the work undertaken.
“I hope that the people of Delhi will support us to control the outbreak of the disease just as we were able to control Dengue,” he said.
CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “The passengers who had come from Italy were staying in Surya hotel, but we have also traced and identified the people who had come in contact with those passengers and they have been kept in isolation. Around 13-14 rooms of the hotel have been sealed, to ensure that the rooms are properly sanitized before putting into use.
The same steps have been taken in the Grand Hotel, where they stayed afterward. The passengers are currently in Chhawla ITPP camp and we are preparing to transfer them to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment as they have been found positive.”
“I am not celebrating Holi this year due to both reasons. There are families which are in distress due to the recent riots in the north-eastern part of Delhi, and the following spread of Coronavirus.
The cabinet ministers as well our MLAs will also not celebrate Holi this year,” added the CM.
CM Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the people of Delhi to avoid large gatherings and crowded places. “Please wash hands frequently, and to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands,” said Kejriwal.
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