Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar has said the Tamil Nadu government has deployed mobile clinics in cyclone-affected areas as well as equipment to chlorinate and disinfect places from where rainwater has started draining.
The Minister said 435 mobile clinics had been deployed. “We have mobilised vehicles from districts that have not been affected by the cyclone,” he said.
Dr. Vijayabaskar said 9,573 mobile clinics had so far been conducted and 2,27,082 people had benefited from them. “The Health Department is equipped with 1,000 tonnes of bleaching powder and 3.8 lakh litres of liquid chlorine. We have taken all steps to ensure that treatment is provided to all people affected in the cyclone.”
“Besides COVID-19, we are monitoring dengue outbreaks. Water stagnation, brought on by the rain, has remained a challenge for us. The rain has been widespread, adding to our concerns,” he said.
The Health Department has readied 65 vehicle-mounted fogging machines, 15 chlorination teams and a team to lift samples for COVID-19 testing.
The Minister said the Department had put in place 108 ambulances, first-responder teams and mobile food-inspection teams. “During a disaster, we have to plan for pre-impact, impact, post-impact and recovery. We will continue our surveillance to prevent outbreaks. So far, there has been no outbreak of dengue,” he said.
As for the spread of COVID-19, he urged people to adhere to safety guidelines such as wearing of masks, frequent washing of hands and maintaining physical distancing. “We need people’s cooperation. If everyone wears a mask for three weeks continuously, we will be able to control COVID-19,” the Minister added.