BENGALURU: With Kerala registering its first case of novel coronavirus, Karnataka too is gearing up to face any possible cases in the state. A video conference was held with Government of India officials, Chief Secretary of Karnataka Vijay Bhaskar, government hospital director, National Health Mission director and others on Thursday.
"Precautionary measures were discussed and finalised. It was decided that scanning of travellers at airports and Mangaluru and Karwar ports will be intensified. Those who have returned from Wuhan in China after January 15 will be quarantined in hospitals or their homes and will be kept under observation for 28 days," said a press statement from the state department of health and family welfare.
Health education and awareness activities will be undertaken. A total of 15 beds have readied at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) in Bengaluru, 10 in Wenlock Hospital and five bed isolation centres in all district hospitals.
Manipal Hospital, Narayana Health, Apollo and Fortis Hospitals also have isolation wards ready. This is for those who wish to have separate rooms with attached washrooms and can afford private health care.
The four samples sent from Karnataka to National Institute of Virology in Pune have tested negative. Of the suspected cases, 10 are in RGICD and 11 in their homes in Karnataka, a release from Dr Prakash, Joint Director of Communicable Diseases, read. "Logistics like transportation of sample, masks, caps, etc were reviewed," Dr Prakash said.