Officials said most calls they receive are from city residents, who are either themselves running a fever or have a cold, or know someone with these symptoms, and are concerned if these are indicative of a coronavirus infection. (Express/Representational Image)
The two helpline numbers launched by the health department in Gurgaon last month for queries on coronavirus are receiving “between 200 and 250 calls” on a daily basis over the past week, officials said.
“We received several calls at the beginning itself, but the numbers reduced in between. However, the calls have increased massively in the last one week. We are getting anywhere between 200 and 250 calls a day now. I get at least a 100 calls on my number itself,” said Dr Ram Prakash Rai, epidemic- in-charge at Gurgaon’s Civil Hospital, whose number is among the two publicised as helpline numbers. The other is a landline number.
Officials said most calls they receive are from city residents, who are either themselves running a fever or have a cold, or know someone with these symptoms, and are concerned if these are indicative of a coronavirus infection. Other people, officials said, call to discuss concerns about going to their workplaces or precautions they should take as more cases of the virus surface. Many, they added, also call to get clarifications on myths or rumours circulating about the virus.
“We mostly advise them on what precautions to take, how they can combat the infection, and recommend whether or not they need to get tested. Our work so far has been more focussed on reassuring people and preventing any sort of panic from taking hold,” said Dr Rai.
Health department officials said 820 people from Gurgaon have so far been placed in “home isolation”. These include 71 employees at Paytm’s Gurgaon office, one staff member of which was confirmed to have contracted the virus last week, as well as 142 people working at a trading firm in Udyog Vihar, where an employee had tested positive.
“These are people who are asymptomatic and have no contact history with a coronavirus patient. Apart from the people from the two firms, the others placed in home quarantine are mostly those who are asymptomatic but have a history of travel to coronavirus-affected countries,” said Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
In addition, a total of 11 samples have so far been sent for testing, of which seven have tested negative, while results of four are awaited. Officials said samples from Gurgaon are currently being sent to the testing facility at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi.