VISAKHAPATNAM: High alert has been sounded in Visakhapatnam port in the aftermath of coronavirus threat. All the vessels calling and arriving at the port and its entire crew are being subjected to screening as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
As per its directive, the medical staff have been provided among other things 500 N-95 masks, 20 hand sanitisers, 500 sets of disposable gloves, disposable total body full-length gowns five sets and a thermoflash hand gun. The entire exercise of medical examination is being carried out by port health officer (PHO) Amit Gayan.
The port has also taken other measures including ensuring that all pilots go with masks, the master of the ship or vessel should give a health declaration of its entire crew every day. Any symptom of ill-health shall be brought to the notice of PHO or port authority immediately and any suspicious case will be shifted to isolation ward in Infections Diseases Hospital (IDH) at Pedda Waltair. All vessels and crew irrespective of the country of origin will be subjected to screening, the port authorities said. No crew will be permitted to go out of the vessel, they said.
While this was so, a vessel named Fortune Sun with 21 Chinese crew onboard docked in Vizag Port and was berthed at WQ-5 at 8.25 am on Wednesday. After examination by the PHO and upon his confirmation that the entire crew are medically fit and healthy, the vessel was permitted to load the cargo. Another vessel ‘Weichi’, which arrived on Jan. 25, is presently at anchorage. It is likely to be berthed within two days and immediately the crew will undergo screening by PHO, the authorities said. The authorities said VPT is well prepared to handle the situation and is all geared up with the required equipment to meet any health emergency.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man, who complained of throat pain, was immediately shifted to King George Hospital for tests here on Wednesday. The man, who is a native of the city, landed in Visakhapatnam from Dubai. After conducting preliminary tests for coronavirus, the doctors at the KGH and Chest Hospitals declared him to be carrying none of the symptoms of the nCorona-2019 virus and discharged him. Following the outbreak of the virus in China, all airports, including Visakhapatnam International Airport, have put up screening centres in the premises where all suspects are tested.
The airport officials are on the alert especially while testing those passengers coming from China via Malaysia and Singapore.