Health Spl CS cautions people on Covid new variant

Vijayawada: Following the advisory issued by the Union ministry of health in view of surge in Covid cases in Kerala stressing the need for sustained vigilance against Covid, special chief secretary MT Krishna Babu held a meeting with all the officials concerned in the health department to review the preparedness in view of the high number of cases being reported in the neighbouring states.

The health officials stated that the virulence of the disease is less and also there are only few hospitalisations reported.

The special chief secretary directed the officials to ensure that all the RTPCR Labs in Government General Hospitals are activated and to do minimum of 1,000 tests per day. He also directed them that sufficient number of rapid test kits will be positioned in all village health clinics. The RTPCR test will be mandatorily conducted on all patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI)/Influenza like illness (ILI), he said.

Krishna Babu stressed on supplying necessary drugs, PPE equipment like gloves, masks, sanitizers and others in all hospitals. The oxygen supply plants like LMO, PSA, oxygen concentrators, D-type cylinders and ventilators will be made fully functional.

It is advised that people with mild symptoms of fever and cough to stay under home isolation and avoid contact with others until symptoms resolve. Further in view of various festivals in the days to come sufficient precaution is to be taken to follow Covid appropriate behaviour, especially in large gatherings.

He warned people returning from Sabarimala and other parts of Kerala to maintain caution and if they are having any symptoms of SARI/ILI they should immediately get themselves tested at the nearest village health clinic.

The special chief secretary appealed to the public that the present situation is not alarming and it is being continuously monitored and the health machinery of the state is fully prepared to deal with any situation.