BHUBANESWAR: A day after a woman student of Wuhan University, down with flu like symptoms, was admitted to the coronavirus isolation ward in SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack, Secretary to Chief Minister’s Transformation and Initiatives (5T) VK Pandian reviewed the measures initiated by the Government to tackle any exigencies.
He directed health officials to remain alert and intensify awareness campaigns at the district-level. While eight persons, who had recently returned from China, have been kept in isolation - six in home isolation and two in SCBMCH, the woman’s husband has been taken into suspected isolation ward. The woman, a native of Cuttack, was here to attend a wedding function and had developed certain symptoms three days back.
“Of the six blood and swab samples, five tested negative and report of one is awaited. We have opened a control room and issued toll-free numbers. Educational institutions and industries have been urged to inform about the travel history of students and employees from these countries. Their identity will not be disclosed,” a health official.A team of officials from National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune conducted an orientation programme for laboratory technicians and doctors from three medical colleges and hospitals besides Capital Hospital and Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital at the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) here.
RMRC Director Sanghamitra Pati said the laboratory technicians were imparted training on how to collect samples from the suspected coronavirus cases and pack it before sending for tests.“RMRC does not collect samples directly from patients. Since the lab technicians do it at their end, they were trained about the procedures of sample collection and three-layer packaging. The technicians were also educated about their personal protective gears,” she added.
As the State does not have information on the number of people who retuned from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand in the last one month, Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das has asked the Collectors to gather data and send it to the department. The Centre has also been urged to share data available with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Homeopathy for nCoV!
Bhubaneswar: People have started making a beeline at Dr Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital where a special OPD has been opened after the Ministry of AYUSH issued advisories on use of homeopathy medicine as a preventive against coronavirus.People are being prescribed Arsenicum album 30 as a ‘prophylactic medicine’. “More than 200 people have taken the medicine as per the recommendation of the Ministry. The medicine works well for influenza-like illness (ILI),” an official said. Allopathic practitioners, however, claimed there is no evidence to study the efficacy of Arsenicum album for coronavirus in humans or animals. Arsenicum album 30 has never been tested or proven to reduce or prevent coronavirus infections, the official added. The homeopathy college official said the drug was also prescribed during the outbreak of H1N1 a few years back. Since the coronavirus is like another flu, it can be prevented if the medicine is taken as per the recommendation,” he added.