KOCHI: In the wake of the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the district, the district health department is on a mission to expand isolation facilities to educational institutions, private hospitals and hotels. One such facility has been proposed at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) and is awaiting District Collector S Suhas’ nod.
Ernakulam District Medical Officer said the decision to set up more isolation wards was taken to manage any rise in the number of COVID-19 patients.“The proposal to set up a ward at Cusat is under the collector’s consideration. We have finalised a few hostel rooms at Cusat and will set up the facility without causing inconvenience to the boarders,” he said.
Cusat Vice-Chancellor K N Madhusoodanan said they will cooperate with the officials, but had requested them to ensure the safety of students currently staying at the hostels.
“The officials told us the facility will be set up only if there is an emergency. Almost 100 students from north India and a few research scholars are staying at our 12 hostels. Since travelling to their hometowns would create more problems for them, they have been advised to stay back,” he said.
Along with Cusat, Tripunithura Ayurveda College and a few private hospitals have been shortlisted. “We are mainly considering hotels with basic facilities. All medical facilities, including doctors, will be provided at such centres,” said Kuttappan.
At present, 680 people are under observation in the district of whom 30 are in various hospitals. On Monday alone, 6 new patients were admitted to isolation wards.Meanwhile, District collector S Suhas on Monday directed the Aluva tahsildar to take over the hostels of Sanskrit University in Kalady under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, for use in emergency situations.
S Suhas commandeers paramedics from private hosps to fight COVID-19
KOCHI: The district collector who is also the District Magistrate, has enforced the Disaster Management Act in the district, commandeering the medical/paramedical staff of various private hospitals and non-governmental institutions to the agencies involved in preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19. In an order, collector S Suhas said the staff should be made available from these establishments without affecting their routine activities. “The Commissioner of Police, Kochi, SP (Ernakulam Rural) and sub-divisional magistrates of the district shall contact the hospitals and other agencies who can spare paramedical staff and utilise their services for the prevention of COVID-19, in consultation with district health authorities. The Act was enforced as the number of persons getting affected is increasing and “it is important to identify affected persons at an early stage and quarantine them... depending on the severity of the infection.”
Plea seeks closure of malls, tourist places
Kochi: A petition has been filed before the High Court seeking a directive from the state government to take immediate action by temporarily closing down places where people gather, including malls, schools, universities, theatres and tourist places in the state. The petition also sought to take immediate measures to control the price of hand sanitisers and masks and ensure their availability. The petition was filed by Justice Brigade, a Kochi-based voluntary organisation of lawyers. The petition stated 16,7329 persons were confirmed for COVID-19 across the world and 6,455 persons died.