Officials from the Medical and Health Department are setting up two quarantine facilities to isolate persons coming from other countries to the city. The department is creating the quarantine facility at Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) and another at Hudhud Colony. While the VIMS facility would accommodate nearly 250 beds, Hudhud Colony facility will house nearly 50 beds.
According to the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) S. Tirupathi Rao, as per the guidelines of the Union Health Ministry, any passenger who are coming from abroad should be placed under quarantine. The health department officials need to observe if the passenger develops any symptoms of COVID-19 in a given period of time.
“People coming from abroad would be placed under quarantine for a period of 14 to 28 days either at VIMS or Hudhud Colony. We would observe their health condition daily and report. If they do not report any symptoms, they will be given clear report and sent home,” said Mr. Tirupathi Rao.
The DMHO said that staff from the Health Department and a few specialist doctors from King George Hospital (KGH), who are checking the suspect COVID-19 persons and even the persons who are under house isolation, have been trained by the health ministry officials. While checking the suspect COVID-19 cases and collecting samples from them, our staff are using protective gear and taking all precautions, he said.
A senior official from the Health Department said, “Till now, we have isolation wards at King George Hospital (KGH), Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases (GHCCD), where persons who are found with COVID-19 symptoms are placed.”
“Quarantine facility is where we keep persons who come from abroad just to observe their health condition. There will be beds, drinking water facility, washrooms and other facilities for the persons. Couple of nurses, a specialist doctor would be appointed there. There is no need for huge staff, since they are just suspect cases who need just clinical monitoring,” the official said.
The officials also said that adequate number of safety gear for staff is also in stock.
‘17 report negative’
According to the health department officials, till date, Visakhapatnam reported 18 suspected COVID-19 cases. Reports of 17 persons have been resulted negative, while the report of another person is yet to be received.
Till now, the officials have placed nearly 200 persons under home isolation.
