VIJAYAWADA: A day after the neighbouring Telangana reported its first coronavirus case, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday asked officials to gear up to tackle any eventuality and take preventive steps, including raising awareness among the public on the infection. While reviewing the weekly ‘Spandana’ grievance redressal programme, the Chief Minister told officials to be alert but also observed that there was no need to cause panic.

He directed them to ensure district hospitals have isolation wards and doctors are trained to handle coronavirus. This must be done based on an action plan prepared by experts in the field, he said. “Awareness must be created on the precautions that need to be taken, and wide publicity should be given. Precautionary measures should be displayed at all village secretariats,’’ the Chief Minister added.

He went on to say body masks and mouth masks should be kept ready at district hospitals for staff to treat affected persons, and suggested that orders for this be placed immediately.

While sharing the directions from the Centre with the district collectors, Special Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) KS Jawahar Reddy allayed fears, saying all those infected with the virus will not succumb.

Quoting a report by an agency that surveyed the spread of the disease in China, he said 81 per cent of all coronavirus cases are mild, 14 per cent of people infected had to be hospitalised, and only five per cent required ventilator support. Thus, though there is no medicine to cure coronavirus, there is no need to panic, he said.

Meanwhile, asserting that the State is on an alert and taking all measures to prevent an outbreak of the infection, Deputy Chief Minister (Medical and Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani) said that besides setting up isolation wards, the government is arranging isolation rooms as suggested by the Centre.

Isolation facilities have been set up at 13 each teaching hospitals and district hospitals, 19 area hospitals and 11 community health centres, he said, adding that these hospitals have 448 isolation beds and 55 ventilators.

Nani further said that besides making arrangements for screening suspected cases, the government would conduct awareness programmes and distribute pamphlets on “dos and don’ts”.
Maintaining that no case has been registered in the State so far, the minister said Andha  government officials are in touch with their Telangana counterparts and are enquiring about the passengers from Andhra Pradesh who reportedly travelled in the same bus as the Hyderabad techie who tested positive.
Officials from Andhra Pradeshwill attend a training session – on preventive steps and treatment — conducted by the Centre on March 6, and a similar session will be organised at the State-level on March 9, he added.

Dedicated call centre
A dedicated call centre has been set up for the public to alert officials about suspected coronavirus patients. Calls will be routed to control rooms at the district level. People may contact the call centre at 0866-2410978.