Health dept tightens vigil in wake of COVID-19 cases

Kolkata: In the wake of a few positive cases of COVID-19 being detected in the country, the state Health department has tightened vigil at all the important places including the two airports in the state and also at the Indo-Bangladesh borders, so that the patients coming from different parts of the world with suspected symptoms are properly screened.

The Coronavirus strain has reportedly been found on Monday in two patients - one who arrived at Delhi from abroad and the other who arrived at Telangana. Both the patients are reportedly in stable condition.

Kerala had earlier reported a total of three confirmed COVID-19 cases and all of them have since been discharged from the hospitals.

According to the Health department, over 1 lakh people coming to the state from abroad have already been screened so far, but none of them have tested positive.

More than 38,000 people have undergone screening at Kolkata and Bagdogra airports, while around 70,000 people have been screened at the international borders in the state. The same procedure has been maintained at the Haldia dock, where many sailors and crew members have undertaken the screening tests.

Out of the total number of people undergoing screening, around 547 were detected with suspected symptoms. None of them developed the symptoms further however and they were eventually tested negative.

Following the Health department's instruction, various state government hospitals have already set up necessary infrastructure and opened an isolation ward to combat any possible situation.

Many patients were admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital in the city and North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in the past few months. All of them were eventually released from the hospitals after being tested negative.

"We are concerned over the situation in the country but we are completely prepared to handle any situation. The Health department has also urged

people not to spread panic.

Not a single case has been reported in the state so far. All the hospitals have been alerted," a senior official of the Health dept said.