On alert after the advisory issued by the union government on dreaded Coronavirus, the state health department of Uttarakhand is keeping strict vigil along the Indo- Nepal border. Since one person suffering from Coronavirus has been detected in Nepal, visitors from this country are being screened. The teams of health department at deployed at nine transit points on Uttarakhand Nepal border.
These teams have been directed to keep a close vigil on those coming from Nepal and quarantine the suspected patients of fever and flu.
Apart from these transit points seven of whom are in Pithoragarh district and two in Champawat district, the authorities are also scanning the visitors at Dehradun airport Jolly grant, Pantnagar airport and Pithoragarh airport.
Special teams of the health department are also deployed at Haridwar railway station. These teams are keeping an eye on passengers suffering from fever.
The health department officials are also directed to send the screening reports of people checked at transit points on border, airport and other places to the health directorate.The secretary (In charge), medical health and family welfare, Pankaj Kumar Pandey said that department has been kept on an alert mode for the disease.
He added that massive information campaign is also being launched to educate people about the disease. Meanwhile the director general (DG) of state health services, Dr Amita Upreti took a stock of the department’s preparation for the disease on Wednesday. In the meeting she took detailed note of the ventilator, ICU, screening and isolation facilities from the chief medical officers (CMO). The symptoms of the Coronavirus are similar to that of normal influenza.
The symptoms include incessant fever, cough, irritation in throat, difficulty in breathing and pneumonia.
The first infections were detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan and traced back to a wild animal and fish market. The virus is now spreading through human to human contact.
The medical experts advice that people should cover their mouth and face while sneezing and should wash their hands and face regularly to prevent spread of the disease.
People should avoid going to crowded places and refrain from shaking hands with others.
Those suffering from fever and cough should immediately take medical advice. People are also being asked not to eat raw or semi cooked meat and egg.