Minister for Health and Family Welfare C. Vijaya Baskar on Sunday claimed that not a single person kept in special isolation wards in hospitals across the State had exhibited symptoms of the novel coronavirus so far.
Addressing the media after taking part in a stakeholders’ meeting with personnel from different departments to discuss the precautionary measures and intensive monitoring being carried out to prevent the spread of the virus, he said 12 persons were currently in isolation wards only because protocol demanded it.
“We have been receiving instructions from the Government of India periodically on the protocol to be followed. Based on that, these 12 persons have been put in isolation wards because of their travel history or possible contact with infected people,” he said. The 12 persons included 10 in Chennai, one in Tiruchi, and one in Ramanathapuram.
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Samples collected from 9 of them have been sent for testing. “Four samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and another five to The King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research. It will take 24 to 48 hours for us to get the results,” the Minister said.
He did not provide information on how many of them were Indian nationals. He argued that specific information regarding these persons, particularly where they were from, may lead to unnecessary panic. “We are fully alert and are taking all possible measures,” he said.
He said 5,543 people who had arrived at (four international) airports in Tamil Nadu had been subjected to thermal screening so far. As many as 799 of them, including 646 who came from China and 153 from neighbouring countries, were being closely monitored, he said. “People from Public Health (Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine) are periodically calling them over the phone to determine if they have any symptoms,” he added.
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The Minister said 1,652 pieces of safety gear, 12,383 N95 masks and 55,715 triple-layer masks had been kept ready.