HYDERABAD: With COVID-19 becoming a reality in Hyderabad, the State government is getting its act together to upgrade medical infrastructure and deploy enough number of staff to take on the new challenge.
To begin with, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to allocate Rs 100 crore for upgrading the existing infrastructure and services if the infection shows signs of spinning out of control. The State government plans to cobble up isolation wards with not less than 3,000 beds if the virus breaks out as an epidemic.
“The government is in talks with private medical colleges and hospitals to set up isolation wards as a lot of capacity in them always remains unutilised,” Health Minister Eatala Rajender said after a review on the implications of the detection of a Hyderabad resident with Coronavirus. According to him, at present, around 88 people who came in direct contact with the Coronavirus-affected software engineer have been tracked and put under quarantine.
“Of these 88 people, 45 are in the isolation ward of Gandhi Hospital and their test samples have been extracted. The rest of the people are also being tested for the virus. Seven people have already tested negative. We are expecting the remaining test results in the next 24 to 48 hours.”
The government has designated ‘104’ as a 24/7 State helpline number for any queries on Coronavirus.
“Apart from the three designated hospitals with isolation wards — Gandhi, Fever and Chest Hospital — the State Government is also opening isolation wards in the Military Hospital, King Koti Hospital, Vikarabad TB Hospital and all teaching hospitals,” Eatala said.
“I have spoken to the Chief Minister and also consulted Union Health Minister Harsha Vardhan on taking on Coronavirus. At the moment there is no need to panic. The Union Health Minister has updated me about the situation. There are no indigenous cases of Coronavirus, which itself is a great relief. The one who is under treatment contracted the infection in Dubai,” he said.
At the review meeting, there was a discussion on the need to take up a positive campaign to allay the fears of the people on Coronavirus. “Coronavirus is not a fatal disease in a majority of cases. Only three per cent of those who contract Coronavirus die and in more than 80 per cent of the cases, the virus leaves the human host on its own without harming the person. The virus is not air-borne and it spreads through droplets. One gets the infection only when one touches the other who has the virus,” Eatala Rajender added.
The Health Minister also instructed officials to install large hoardings, creating awareness on Coronavirus across Hyderabad, in all other cities and towns. He also added that strict action will be taken if any individual use Coronavirus for commercial or mischievous purposes. The health minister said the silver lining is that it is very easy to prevent the infection.
“All it needs is paying attention to personal hygiene. Wash your hands as often as possible and Coronavirus would not come near you. People should know how to dispose of tissues and handkerchiefs. I would request the people to constantly wash their hands. Use tissue and handkerchiefs while sneezing or coughing and immediately dispose of the tissue properly. I appeal to you not to spit in public areas.” The minister also sounded a positive that Coronavirus might not become an epidemic in Telangana.
“The weather conditions — low humidity and high temperature — are unfavourable for Coronavirus to spread and as summer is ahead, Coronavirus may not affect Telangana,” the health minister added.
Homoeopathy medicine has several takers
Hyderabad: The State government’s AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) department has been distributing “preventive medication for Coronavirus” for over a month at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, government homoeopathic pharmacy and government homoeopathy hospitals.
Over 4,600 people have been given this “preventive medication”. Dr Sravanthi, Ayurveda expert from the Department of Ayush said, “The medication is Arsenic Alb 30. It is basically an immunity booster that is used for all types of influenza, just in different dosage. Since Coronavirus is also an influenza, the medication can be used to prevent it too.”
When asked about the scientific backing or evidence of using this medication for patients, Dr Sravanthi said she has been asked not to talk about it.