Odisha govt issues advisory for coronavirus

The Odisha government on Saturday issued an advisory to different authorities including hospitals, airports, ports and railway divisions to put in place necessary arrangements to tackle any situation in view of the outbreak of novel coronavirus (nCoV) in China.

A preparatory meeting with state officials was held to review arrangements for prevention and management of suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome due to nCoV.

The authorities of SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, VSS Medical College, Burla Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar were told to function as nodal centres for isolation and treatment of such cases.

The state government wrote to the directors of airports in Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda, Paradip Port Trust authorities and general managers of East Coast and South East Railway zones in the state to implement the advisory in public interest.

The airport authorities in Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda were requested to establish screening facilities and report the suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome due to nCoV to government officials, director of public health Ajit Mohanty said.

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes.

The virus that has so far killed 25 people and affected 830 in China is a novel strain and not seen before.

The Paradip Port Trust Hospital and the railway authorities are requested to create their own facilities for isolation and management of such cases.