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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Staff Reporter

Foreign returnees under surveillance in State

The medical and health administration in Chittoor district has mounted surveillance on people suspected to have contracted COVID-19, while the number of persons under “house-quarantine” after returning from foreign countries is on the rise.

In view of the presence of famous pilgrimage centres of Tirupati, Tirumala and Srikalahasti, which attract close to one lakh pilgrims a day with the start of holiday season, the entire paramedical and medical personnel have been put on alert.

According to the District Medical and Health Officer P. Penchalaiah, after a person in Nellore district tested positive to the virus, “we have doubled our precautionary measures.”

250 under watch

The official said that since a month, more than 250 persons from several parts of Chittoor district, who returned from the foreign countries, particularly from West Asia, South East Asia and Europe, were quarantined at their respective houses. “So far, 60 persons were declared absolutely not affected by the virus as they tested negative, after 28 days. As all the persons who are presently under surveillance showed no signs of any serious illness, it is a big relief to the district administration,” Dr. Penchalaiah said.

The DMHO said that as most people who return home in Chittoor district arrive at Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Tirupati airports, the respective surveillance teams had full access to their itineraries, right from their arrival in foreign countries to the places they had visited, and the time they had boarded the return flights, along with their medical records.

“Following the Central government’s directive, all the foreign returnees should now get ready for voluntary quarantine at their house. In case of any government employees among the surveillance target, they have to continue their leave period,” Dr. Penchalaiah said, adding that for every case under surveillance, two paramedical staff were being allotted for regular and daily health checks.

The DMHO said the authorities of all the major temples in the district were implementing precautionary measures against COVID-19 in coordination with the surveillance teams, apart from launching massive sanitation drives and sensitisation of devotees about dos and don’ts.

50 screened in Vizianagaram

Vizianagaram District Medical and Health Officer S.V. Ramana Kumari on Saturday said that special wards were allocated in all government hospitals, including Vizianagaram MR Hospital, for the treatment of peopel showing symptoms of COVID-19, while stating that there were no cases reported so far in the district.

She said that the department had screened 50 persons who had come from different countries to Vizianagaram district in the last few days and that all were declared healthy by the medical teams. She said that there was no need to panic over the dreaded disease since persons who would observe healthy and hygienic practices would not be affected by the virus.

SITAM College Director Majji Sasibhusana Rao thanked the district administration for establishing a helpline (08922-236973) to clarifify the doubts with regard to the disease.

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