Coronavirus: Meghalaya in “no cases” list but preventive measures initiated

SHILLONG | March 18:

Commissioner and Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, government of Meghalaya, Sampath Kumar on Tuesday informed that Meghalaya is in stage one with no coronavirus cases being detected so far; however, the state is laying emphasis on all possible preventive measures in case of an outbreak.

Briefing newsmen in his chamber on Tuesday evening, the Health Secretary said that following the outbreak, the state took immediate steps and put in a system to identify people coming from affected places who will notify through 108 and will be contacted by the district surveillance team.

He asserted that travelers should notify and hotels have also been directed to notify about tourists coming in. He said that If anyone has any queries or doubts they can call 108. He added that WHO has defined the whole scenario as no cases, sporadic cases, cluster of cases and  community transmission and Meghalaya is in the "no cases" listing but all the preparatory steps have to be taken.

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Informing that  NEIGRIHMS is the testing center and all the doctors and para medical teams have been given training to take samples and follow a strict protocol, the Health Secretary said that if suspected, their samples will be sent for testing in NEIGRIHMS; if negative it will be immediately declared but if positive it will be sent to National Institute of Virology Pune.

He said that the health department has asked all the hospitals to have a separate OPD for respiratory patients so that they will not be moving through other patients.

Elaborating on the preventive steps undertaken, he said that a lot of emphasis is also being laid at community preparedness on steps they should take. He informed there is a concept called surge capacity to handle if there is a large number of cases for which there are plans to procure large stocks of things that are required and though there is a shortage across the country but some supply are coming in.

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Furthermore, he informed that the health department are getting a good response and a lot of people have notified and the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills has had meetings with all the headmen and their cooperation have been sort. 

Considering the happenings across the world, a lot of precaution and caution has been taken and the idea is to contain it.

Urging people to act responsibility, Kumar said that everybody should show a lot of sense of responsibility in terms of following hand hygiene, maintaining social distance and following respiratory etiquette.