Coronavirus: Officials told to intensify awareness on COVID-19

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K Jyothi directed the Heath department officials to intensify the awareness drive on COVID-19 across the district. She directed the officials to distribute pamphlets and to display boards at the government offices.

The CEO was addressing the officials at the monthly review meeting on Karnataka Development Programme (KDP), chaired by ZP president Parimala Shyam at the ZP auditorium here on Wednesday.

The CEO directed District Health Officer (DHO), Dr R Venkatesh, to look after the misuse of the opportunity by medical shop owners. There are complaints that medical shop owners are charging high prices for face masks and there is no sufficient stock.

However, the DHO said that normal masks will not be that effective and only triple-layered or N95 masks should be used. The department has a stock of 10,000 normal and 200 N95 masks at The Generic Drug Store. The authorities have distributed 2,000 masks among the medical staff, who are on field duty. The department has asked the suppliers to supply the masks, but, a majority of the suppliers have no stock, the DHO said.

'Visit KR Hospital'

The DHO said that the people need not worry about COVID-19 as the authorities are all prepared to tackle the issue. He requested the people to visit KR Hospital for investigation in case of fever, cough, running nose among others. The Health Department has formed teams, which work round the clock in the hospital.

Until now, no positive case is reported in the district, but the hospital is prepared with all facilities. We have established an isolation ward with five beds. The ward has a provision to keep 12 beds. The teams will work on shifts, the DHO said.

7 teams in district

The DHO said, as many as seven surveillance teams are working across the district. The teams screen people at the railway station, airport, bus stands, border of the district and other places. The DHO urged the people to avoid large gatherings. The DHO advised the people to sneeze or cough on their shoulders in case they do not have handkerchiefs.

ZP vice president Gowramma Somashekar and Chief Planning Officer M B Padmashekar Pandey were present.