In the wake of a steady rise in coronavirus infections, the Health department has made wearing of masks compulsory in all government hospitals in Tamil Nadu starting from Saturday, April 1.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian on Friday, told reporters at the inauguration of the State Health Assembly that all patients: outpatients and in-patients, visitors, doctors, nurses and other health-related staff in over 11,300 government health facilities will have to mandatorily wear masks. This includes health sub-centres, primary health centres (PHCs), urban PHCs, taluk and non-taluk hospitals, district headquarters hospitals and government medical college hospitals.
To stem the continuous rise in infections, an instruction has been issued to all State and district-level health officers attending the State Health Assembly to ensure 100% mask compliance in all government health facilities from Saturday, even as COVID-19 norms continue to be in force in the State, he noted. The Minister added that infections usually start increasing at hospitals first, and hence, this measure is being brought in place for hospitals.
COVID-19 cases are rising continuously, with Omicron sub-variants XBB and BA.2 being the dominant strains in circulation, he pointed out. “The cases are rising not only in Tamil Nadu but also across the country and the world,” he said.
On Thursday, Tamil Nadu reported 123 new cases of COVID-19. Over the past 24 hours, India has reported 3,095 fresh cases, he said, adding that the cases were increasing in Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Delhi and Karnataka, with the number of cases varying from 300 to 700.
DPH’s circular
In a circular issued on Friday, the Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine said instructions to practice compulsory wearing of masks by doctors, paramedics and other health workers, including frontline workers, post graduates, medical interns and students as well as patients and their attendants within the health facilities, was issued. This instruction is applicable to private hospitals and facilities. Suitable signages should be displayed in all the facilities.
The DPH instructed the deputy directors of health services and city health officer of the Greater Chennai Corporation to ensure compulsory wearing of masks in all healthcare facilities. If needed, enforce compulsory wearing of masks, making use of the provisions under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, he said.
The official said there was a six-fold rise in COVID-19 cases in the State. The daily cases reported has increased from 21 in the first week of March to 123 on March 30. In India, Omicron variant XBB.1.16 is increasing in prevalence but no evidence of increase in hospitalisation and mortality has been reported.
Published - March 31, 2023 12:05 pm IST
