Health dept calls for isolation ward in 4 district hospitals

Kolkata: In the wake of growing fears about the novel Coronavirus (nCoV) among the people, the state Health department has ordered the four medical colleges and hospitals in South Bengal to open an isolation ward.

An isolation ward had already been thrown open at the Beliaghata ID Hospital in the city and also at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital each. Apart from the two, the four other medical colleges are going to set up an isolation ward too.

The Health department has, however, confirmed that no such cases have been reported in the state so far. Adequate arrangements are being made to meet any untoward situation.

A high-level meeting was conducted at the Swasthya Bhawan on February 1, to discuss a range of issues pertaining to the precautionary measures.

According to a senior Health department official, an isolation ward would also be opened at the SSKM Hospital, School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital and College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital in Kamarhati in North 24-Parganas.

Senior officials of all the four medical colleges attended Saturday's meeting. During the meeting, the Health department officials laid out some guidelines on what are the preventive measures that ought to be taken by the hospitals.

Incidentally, an American national identified as Marco Tulio (24), who came to the city from Thailand on January 21, was admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital on Saturday with suspected symptoms and also vomiting.

The foreign national visited Mother House when he fell ill and was then taken to the hospital. His blood samples have been sent for examination. He has been kept at the isolation ward.

It may be mentioned here that a Chinese woman was earlier admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital with fever and similar symptoms.

The woman was initially admitted to a private hospital in the city and then shifted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital. Her blood reports confirmed that she had no such virus in her body. Senior health officials are on their toes supervising the situation in the state ever since the threat had surfaced.

The Health department has already issued some guidelines to various state-run hospitals in the state and also chalked out a detailed plan on how to handle any emergency situation.