Coronavirus scare grows with 3 more admitted to ID Hospital

Kolkata: The Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) continues to haunt the people after three persons including a sailor were admitted to Beliaghata ID Hospital in the past 24 hours. They had come to the city from China.

Two persons ~ one a resident of Dhanekhali in Hooghly and the other from Bhubeneswar, have been admitted to the Hospital on Monday night, while a sailor was taken to the same hospital after he complained of fever. The sailor was screened at the port earlier.

Altogether five persons are still admitted in the hospital, out of which three were tested negative while the blood samples of the other two had been sent for examination.

The hospital authorities assume that they were not, however, affected by the virus. All the patients have been kept at the isolation ward of the hospital.

Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) on Tuesday issued a press statement, saying that as per the instruction of Ministry of Shipping and Ministry of Health, they have taken a number of steps for prevention of Coronavirus infection. The officers and crew members of all incoming foreign vessels are being screened with Infrared thermal scanners, before the commencement of cargo operation.

Shore leave passes would be issued to the officers and crew members on-board the vessel, only if they do not show any symptom of Coronavirus infection.

This exercise is being carried out at Kolkata Dock System (KDS), Budge Budge and at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). Since January 29 till February 3, about 1,200 officers and crew members of the vessels have already been screened.

One crew member of the vessel "ARK PRESTIGE" Ashok Kumar has been screened and found that he had been suffering from fever. He was shifted to the hospital.

Meetings have been held with various stakeholders so far. Kolkata Port Trust SOP and Advisory have been displayed on KoPT website under important news section.

It may be mentioned here that the state Health department has already made it mandatory for the doctors, nurses and non-medical staff to wear N95 masks to prevent transmission of the disease. The masks are also being sold at various fair price medicine shops at the hospitals.

None has been found to have been afflicted with the disease in the city so far and the doctors from the hospital have urged the people not to spread panic.

In the wake of nCoV scare, the Health department has ordered the four medical colleges and hospitals in South Bengal to open an isolation ward.