Measures in place to deal with coronavirus threat in J-K: Official

Preemptive measures are in place to deal with the threat posed by coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, a senior government official said on Friday, asserting that people, who have arrived from China, have been screened and were found to be asymptomatic.

Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, Atal Dulloo also advised the officers to be extra vigilant and follow the established protocol in handling all suspected cases.

"The suspected cases so far in Jammu and Kashmir have tested negative and have been advised home quarantine," Dulloo said at a meeting of senior functionaries and health officials here. He reviewed the preemptive measures taken by the Health and Medical Education Department to deal with coronavirus threat.

The measures taken include establishment of isolation wards, stocking of Personal Protection Equipment, N95 masks, triple-layer masks, hand sanitizers, while the sample of suspected cases would be sent outside the Union Territory for testing.

"Proper care needs to be taken to avoid intermingling of suspected cases, if any," he directed the officers concerned, while asking them to keep a close watch on the patients with matching symptoms and strictly follow the standard operating procedure (SOP).

He also issued directions to the officers for collection of samples from the suspected cases at the Medical Colleges of Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Rajouri and Kathua, besides other established facilities.

"The samples should be sent for testing as soon as they are collected to prevent any unnecessary delay," he said.

Dulloo also asked the Chief Medical Officers to keep isolation wards ready with all the machinery and manpower in place to face any eventuality.

Noting that the situation is to be closely and regularly monitored by the officers on a daily basis, the Financial Commissioner stressed on spreading community awareness with surveillance and also stressed on training of medical officers and paramedical staff to intimate them about the SOPs.

The meeting was informed that more space is being identified and isolation wards have been made ready to handle suspected cases, an official spokesman said.