JOIN USFollowing directions from state health department, a district-level task force has been set up to tackle any emergency related to 'novel-coronavirus', Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha said on Saturday.
He was presiding over a meeting attended by officials from Health Department and district coordination committee at DC office.
Jagadeesha said all measures should be taken in the district as a coronavirus case was confirmed in neighbouring Kerala.
He appealed to the public not to panic and not to pay any heed to the rumours being circulated on social media.
"The public should be cautious and maintain personal hygiene." He directed the Department of Health and Family Welfare to distribute posters on creating awareness about the spread and symptoms of coronavirus among the public in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the district.
The people arriving from foreign countries, especially China, will have to undergo screening. In case of any symptoms found in the patient, then it should be drawn to the notice of health department. The awareness programmes should be held at gram panchayat level, Jagadeesha stressed.
District Health Officer (DH) Dr Sudheer Chandra Sooda said that it has been decided to hold meetings with doctors of Kasturba Hospital in Manipal and also with heads of other private medical hospitals and clinics in the district in this regard.
The district administration has taken all precautionary measures to prevent the spreading of virus. Workshops to create awareness among the health care fraternity was organised and they were told to be cautious and to take precautionary measures.
Two separate wards comprising five beds each and two ICUs with ventilators have been set up. If coronavirus is detected in the district, a facility to collect and transport the throat swab from the suspected is made available in all PHCs, CHCs and taluk government hospitals.
Hoardings will be put up at Malpe, Kollur, service bus stands and railway stations to create awareness among the people.
He added that pamphlets will be distributed through Asha and Anganawadi workers. The KMC-Manipal has separate wards with nine beds and emergency and protective facilities, including N-95 masks.