Shillong(Meghalaya), Feb 3: Amid global fear about the spread of the novel coronavirus, health authorities of West Jaintia Hills district have decided to collect detailed information from four persons who recently came from China.
Meanwhile , a total number of 37 students from the state pursuing medical studies in China, have returned back to the state do not have any symptoms of the virus and presently staying in their homes . However a strict watch is being kept on their health condition on a daily basis. Most of them were pursuing medical studies in China’s Wangdong province, Sichuan province and Yunnan province.
According to reports, the State Surveillance Unit, IDSP, Shillong has relayed information to the District Medical & Health Officer, West Jaintia Hills about two persons from West Jaintia Hills and two others from East Jaintia Hills who recently came from China.
Following this, the District Medical & Health Officer, West Jaintia Hills has alerted the health authorities in both the districts and directed them to screen the four persons and submit all details about their health condition on a daily basis.
The Meghalaya Health Department has recently issued an advisory regarding the coronavirus which has killed hundreds of people in China and other countries.
The advisory also requested any person who has travelled in the past one month to China and other countries where the positive coronavirus cases have been reported, to self-identify themselves irrespective of whether having any symptoms or not by calling the 24 hours Meghalaya GVK EMRI helpline number 108. The call operator will then give directions as to what is to be done next. This is to ensure that no symptomatic cases are missed out within the incubation period.
Travellers who had come from the affected areas and the general public are advised to adhere to the following standard health measures for prevention and control.
The State Health Department’s advisory also said that those with travel history to the affected areas or exposed to a confirmed case of coronavirus infection in the past one month with symptoms of fever and cough should immediately wear face mask, isolate oneself and call up 108 and inform the nearby health facility for further directions.
“Frequently clean your hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water, when coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue and dispose tissue sanitarily and immediately wash hands and avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough,” the advisory said.
By special arrangement with Highland Post
