Kolkata: As part of the state government's relentless efforts to keep Bengal safe in the wake of Coronavirus scare, the Transport department has launched a drive to disinfect all its buses in depots on a regular basis.
The decision comes after the total number of positive cases of novel Coronavirus across the nation reached 74 and the Delhi government declared it an epidemic on Thursday.
"Disinfection has started in West Bengal Transport Corporation depots. Cleaning of buses takes place regularly. But due to virus preparation, special disinfection has been started for our buses at various depots from March 12, 2020. Soon, it will be undertaken at all depots," said Rajanvir Singh Kapur, managing director of WBTC.
Meanwhile on Friday, state Education minister Partha Chatterjee said: "Higher Secondary exam is on and closure of schools is not possible under the given circumstances. The urgency with which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is addressing the issue of Coronavirus is extremely commendable. Taking a cue from her, we have issued advisory to all schools to ensure that necessary precautionary measures are taken."
Ever since the inception of the viral threat, the state government has been taking precautionary measures at several levels, especially in the public transport system. The WBTC is monitoring the disinfection drive round-the-clock.
"State Transport minister Suvendu Ahikari, West Bengal Transport Secretary N S Nigam, WBTC chairman Rachhpal Singh and all the officials are constantly monitoring the disinfection drive. The state Transport department is taking proactive measures so that it (Coronavirus) does not spread in public. We are making sure that all the buses are being disinfected on a daily basis. The WBTC has put special emphasis on cleaning and sanitising locations such as doors, seats and places where hands come in direct contact during travel," pointed out an official of WBTC.
While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Coronavirus outbreak as a 'pandemic', Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged people not to panic, citing the fact that no positive case has been detected yet in Bengal.
As a precautionary measure, screening is being done at 21 major airports along with 12 major and 65 small ports in India.
Meanwhile, one youth each from West Midnapore and Birbhum has been placed under quarantine at their houses by the district administration, after they complained of some symptoms of novel Coronavirus (nCoV) on Friday. Both the youths have recently returned to their native places from foreign countries.
One of the youths, who recently returned to Garbeta from Japan, was rushed to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital with suspected symptoms.
After a thorough examination, the doctors asked the youth to remain confined within a room at his house. The districts health officials will keep a tab on the patient. He will be kept in isolation for at least 14 days. The family members of the youth have also been asked to follow certain parameters while attending the patient.
In a similar incident, another youth who has returned home at Mayureswar in Birbhum from Saudi Arabia recently, has been quarantined after he visited the clinic of a local doctor. The matter was brought to the notice of the district administration after he exhibited nCoV-like symptoms.
In the wake of growing nCoV scare in the state, the Speaker at the Legislative Assembly Biman Banerjee imposed some restrictions on the entry of visitors and also on the media people during the ongoing Asssembly session, which will last till March 26.
"Considering safety and security of the people, we need to impose some restrictions during the current session. The entry of the students would be restricted. The issuance of slips to the visitors will also be restricted. No MLAs will be allowed to bring more than one visitor. The Centre has issued an advisory to all the state governments, urging them to avoid mass gatherings in the wake of nCoV scare," Banerjee told reporters on Friday.
Senior Health department officials also held a meeting at Swasthya Bhawan on Friday to take a stock of the situation in the districts. All the chief medical officers of health in the districts have already been instructed to submit a report on a daily basis.
In another development, five swine flu patients including a 27-year-old nursing staff member and two children have been admitted at a private hospital in Mukundapur. The nursing staff member is a resident of Manipur. Among the two children, one hails from Odisha, while the other is from Hooghly district. Altogether 10 patients have tested positive for swine flu in the last one week in the hospital.
Meanwhile, a devotee at International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Mayapur, was tested negative for nCoV. The swab report of the Australian devotee reached the office of Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), Nadia, on Friday morning. It was later communicated to the ISKCON authorities. The report of another devotee is awaited. Both the devotees, who had come to attend Dol Jatra at ISKCON headquarters, were found to be suffering from fever along with breathing congestion.
The government doctors were immediately informed, who in turn conducted the swab tests of the duo. The samples were sent to the Beliaghata ID Hospital.
The ISKCON authorities are using contact less thermometers to screen the visitors. Sanitisers are given free of cost to the visitors and constant awareness campaign is underway inside the premises.