The Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department has so far identified 465 passengers from COVID-19-affected countries and placed 232 people under home isolation and 226 people completed 28 days’ observation.
Seven passengers are in hospitals and are stable. Total 35 samples were collected, of which 33 samples tested negative for COVID-19 and results of two samples are awaited, according to an official release.
The government has strengthened the surveillance for containment, control and prevention of COVID-19, which has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern.
Control room
A 24x7 control room was set up with phone number 0866-2410978 and isolation wards have been provided in all government general hospitals and district hospitals.
Besides, a toll-free helpline with phone number 104 has been operationalized for providing advice on COVID-19.
It was stated that there are 14,000 masks and training was given on the protocols developed for prevention, control and containment of COVID-19. Meanwhile, as per the instructions of A. Mallikarjuna, Director-General (in-charge) of Drugs and Copyrights, surprise raids were conducted on medical shops during the last three days for verification of the sale of face masks and hand sanitizers.
A total of 979 medical shops were inspected, of which nine shops were found to be selling the masks at higher prices and show-cause notices were issued.
Further, licences were suspended for three to 15 days depending on the severity of the violations.
Mr. Mallikarjuna warned that violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945 would be dealt with seriously.
Association statement
Face masks needed as protection from COVID-19 are available in medical shops at MRP.
Krishna district Chemists and Druggists Association general secretary D. V. R. Sai Kumar in a statement said shops owned by members of this association and the Retail Chemists and Druggists Association were selling face masks at MRP.
Condemning the allegations that face masks at exorbitant prices he said that the Drug Control Authority was keeping a close watch on the sale of face masks.
Mr Kumar said that medical shop owners never sold medicines at high prices and were trying to do service to society.
The association released the statement because of the false allegations being made against members .
