Coronavirus: 4000 isolation wards are being set up in Visakhapatnam

A review meeting, with the District Level Committees on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Control and Prevention Cell, was held by the Visakhapatnam District Collector, V Vinay Chand( IAS), at the Vuda Children’s Arena. The Collector appointed 20 teams for prevention of Novel Coronavirus and has put down several crucial points of action that need to be followed strictly. As there is no vaccine or medication for Coronavirus, he has instructed the teams on how to deal with Coronavirus by implementing certain preventive measures. Travellers, from other countries, are required to be placed in quarantine at specified isolation wards.

People with fever, cold and cough must be identified immediately. The Isolation Hospital Committee should take care of the suspected cases. Anyone coming from China, Iran, France, etc., have to be identified, tested and placed in isolation.

A mock drill has to be performed at the isolation hospital in Vizag. Full-fledged isolation wards should be set up at the ENT Hospital, Chest Hospital and King George Hospital in the city.

The committee must also look into accommodation being made available at the isolation hospitals. Isolation wards, with all the required facilities, must also be set up at the private hospitals. A total of 4,000 isolation wards are being set up in Visakhapatnam. The committee has to submit daily reports on the surveillance and move suspected cases to the respective hospitals. The positive cases must be immediately shifted into an ambulance. Constant sanitation has to be undertaken at the isolation wards. Each hospital must strictly follow the given protocol.

Additionally, the District Collector suggested that quarantine and isolation wards can also be set up at engineering colleges. He directed that the city must be ready with 10,000 beds by Monday. A 3km containment zone and a 2km buffer zone have to be identified. The Lab Surveillance Committee shall collect the samples and send them for testing.

The meeting was also attended by the District Joint Collectors, L Siva Shankar and M Venugopal Reddy, the GVMC In Charge Commissioner, Koteshwara Rao, the Additional Commissioner, Tamima Ansaria, ITDA Project Officer, DK Balaji, the Sub Collector, S Venkateshwar, District Forest Officer, Selvam, DFO Social- Jyothi, doctors and others district officials.

Coronavirus(COVID-19) Vizag District Control Room Numbers :
0891-2501233, 0891-2501244, 0891-2501255