Coronavirus outbreak: MCC health inspectors to inspect hotels, restaurants

MANGALURU: Health inspectors of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will conduct inspections in the premises of hotels, restaurants, marriage halls and institutions in the city from Friday, to take precautions against the possible spread of Covid-19.
MCC commissioner Shanady Ajith Kumar Hegde said, “Health inspectors will visit your premises and ensure that sufficient precautions are in place to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19. This is just an exercise to ensure precautionary measures and not a raid. All hotels, bars, restaurants, marriage halls, catering service providers, merchants, chicken stalls, apartments, small industries and builders should strictly follow the guidelines issued by the state and central governments with regard to Covid-19. Mangaluru is safe, but we should give more emphasis to cleanliness. Keep your premises clean,” Hegde said.
The commissioner convened a meeting of all stakeholders in the presence of mayor Diwakara and district surveillance officer Dr Naveen Chandra Kulal to discuss about the guidelines to be followed to prevent the spread of the disease.
Providing information on Covid-19, Dr Kulal said there is no need to panic as the disease spreads only through surface contact. Hence, door handles, especially the ones at washrooms, should be kept clean, he said.
“No positive case of Covid-19 has been reported in the district. Hence, there is no need to panic, but we should take necessary precautions as per the guidelines. However, hotels need to take precautions since there are possibilities of travellers from foreign countries checking in there. However, possibilities are less since the number of international flight arrivals have reduced, and ships too are not being allowed at the port. Only doctors and hospital staff working in close proximity with patients, and those visiting a patient need to wear a mask. The virus will not spread if one stands more than a metre away from a patient,” said Dr Kulal.
No bird flu in DK: DC
There is no need to panic about avian flu in the district. Awareness needs to be created in this regard, said deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh. Chairing a district level meeting of the National Animal Disease Emergency Planning Committee (NADEPC) on Thursday, the DC said precautionary measures should be taken in all parts of the district. Sanitiser sprays and masks are being distributed through the district disaster management authority, she said.
Officials from the animal husbandry department said vehicles from other states are being checked at five checkposts. No case of bird flu has been reported in the district so far.