Kolkata: Doctors webcast coronavirus awareness tips

KOLKATA: The novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak has prompted a group of healthcare professionals start webcasting to create awareness about the virus. Though the virus so far has restricted its reach only to Kerala with three positive cases in India, the doctors who have taken to webcasting said the recent outbreak has the potential to be an international health emergency with widespread morbidity and mortality.

“We wanted to reach out to the maximum number of people, disseminating the right kind of information. There are lots of doubt among people, including those in the medical fraternity. Our aim is to educate people without creating panic,” said critical care specialist Arindam Kar of CMRI Kolkata. Kar, who moderated the session along with two other doctors from Kolkata, are among the 11 medics across the country who initiated the campaign on web in association with a pharma major.
In Bengal, the health department has so far got 11 swab samples screened. While the result of one sample is still awaited, 10 have tested negative. Despite no positive case in the state till date, the rising death toll in China has triggered panic in Kolkata.
The doctors who took part in the webcast are from different specialities — critical care, pulmonology, infectious diseases and clinical microbiology.
“Considering the high infectivity of this new strain, not only the suspects but healthcare professionals dealing with such cases need to adhere to safety protocols for themselves,” said patient safety specialist Subhrajyoti Bhowmick of Peerless Hospital. Bhowmick, who recently had a stint with WHO on patient safety, was also part of the webcast, along with clinical microbiologist Debkishor Gupta from Kolkata.
The pharma company that initiated the webcast is working on compliance approval so that the video can be uploaded on social networking sites.