Noida: District health department issues advisory on coronavirus

NOIDA: Even as one resident from Sector 75 who returned from China on Wednesday screened negative for coronavirus in Noida, the district health department has issued an advisory to industrialists on precautions to be followed on international travels and has also sought a list from the Airport Authority of India on people coming from China to scan those from GB Nagar. An awareness workshop was also conducted in the district on Friday.
Further, the health department has arranged quarantined 10 beds in Kasana Medical College and 10 beds in Super Speciality Paediatric Hospital and Post Graduate Teaching Institute - SSPHPGTI Sector 30, popularly called Child PGI Hospital Noida, for prospective patients.
“One resident from Sector 75 has returned from China. The person has been screened and tested negative for coronavirus. We are still alert and scanning all residents who have returned from international travels. For this, we have asked for a list of passengers from GB Nagar from airport authority and also issued an advisory to both, industrialists and residents on the precautions to be taken while travelling abroad,” said Dr Anurag Bhargava chief medical officer (CMO) GB Nagar.
Dr Bhargava maintained that while many Chinese citizens work in industries in Noida and Greater Noida, there are industrialists also of the district who travel abroad for their business related work. “They have all been asked to be cautious and intimate the health department on their arrival or of their staff/employee from China. Also, if anyone is found unwell, then they have been asked to get themselves screened at any of the two centres designated for screening of the coronavirus,” said Dr Bhargava who adds that so far no cases of coronavirus are reported in the district.
Meanwhile Dr Sumi Nandwani, professor and head of department microbiology SSPHPGTI, maintained that while no specific antiviral treatment is available for the ailment, precautionary steps are advised including good personal hygiene, hand wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth, close contact with people who are sick and consumption of raw or undercooked animal products. “Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a large family of viruses including SARS, MERS that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes. The virus has emerged from a seafood and animal market in China’s Wuhan and reports have it that it has spread to as far as the US and Thailand,” said Dr Nandwani her report.
A CME (continuing medical education) and training workshop for Coronavirus outbreak was conducted on Friday at Child PGI Hospital Noida under Dr Nandwani where more than 50 participants including doctors, technicians, nursing staff and attendants of SSPHPGTI participated including staff from GIMS Greater Noida. The workshop addressed issues of preparedness to introduction, prevention, infection control and sample collection aspects.
At the workshop, while Dr Nandwani apprised participants on Coronavirus, current outbreak, how it spreads, signs and symptoms, how to use N 95 mask etc, Dr Naz Perween assistant professor microbiology talked about physical and hand hygiene even as Dr Manish Girhotra, associate professor and head ENT apprised on ways to collect throat swab samples from suspected patient
“We have issued advisory to all schools and corporate houses to take necessary precautions even as we remain alert. There’s no need to panic,” said BN Singh district magistrate GB Nagar.