Vellore District Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram has warned private clinics and hospitals against treating patients with COVID-19 symptoms and said their licences would be cancelled if they flouted the rules.
This announcement came in the wake of a 52-year old woman from Konavattam getting treated in a private hospital before being sifted to Christian Medical College Hospital on Tuesday.
“She was referred to CMC under critical condition and her blood samples proved positive for COVID-19. The private hospitals should refer cases with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) or Influenza Like Illness (ILI) directly to Government Hospitals and CMC and patients who have such symptoms should approach government hospitals without wasting time,” Mr. Shanmuga Sundaram said.
He advised those doctors, para-medical staff, relatives and associates of that woman from Konavattam and Sadhiq Basha, 46, of Saidapet (who died at CMC on April 8) should get tested at government hospitals to rule out the possibility of infection.
Special camps
Mr. Shanmuga Sundaram announced that special camps would be conducted from Thursday till the month end to screen residents from streets where those who tested positive lived.
Camps will be held at the following places from 9 a.m. to noon Government Higher Secondary School, Konavattam,Vellore Corporation Primary School, Kasba, Corporation Middle School, Chinna Allapuram, Muslim High School, R.N. Palayam, Kodaiyidi Kuppuswamy Mudaliar HSS.Saidapet and Muslim Primary School, Hajipura.