All sample reports have tested negative
It’s good news for Indoreans amid scare of COVID-19 that all the sample reports sent for testing have been tested negative. However, one more suspected patient was found on Wednesday, he was admitted to Medanta Hospital and has been kept in isolation. His samples will be sent on Thursday.
According to chief medical and health officer Dr Praveen Jadia, as many as 18 samples were sent from Indore and all the samples were tested negative, including the sample report of the patient who had returned from France via Dubai, four days ago.
“No new samples were sent for testing on Wednesday and those 167 persons, list provided by health department, who have recently travelled from affected countries have been contacted and kept on home isolation,” he said.
Dr Jadia also added that a 73-year-old suspected patient was found on Wednesday who had returned from Dubai, ten days ago.
“A 73-year-old patient contacted us after which sent him to MRTB Hospital for screening. Although he had returned from Dubai, ten days ago, he had generated symptoms of cough and flu after which we suggested him to get admitted,” Dr Jadia said.
The patient was not willing to get admitted to MRTB Hospital and the department contacted him to get admitted in any of the 18 private hospitals, authorized for keeping COVID-19 suspected patients in isolation. Finally he gave in and reached Medanta Hospital.
Naruka informed officials about the suspected patient
Along with a local doctor, former IMC speaker Ajay Singh Naruka contacted nodal officer of IDSP Dr Santosh Sisodiya about the patient and asked them to keep him under observation.
“After learning about the patient, I asked the health officials to keep him under observation and also to screen those who came in his contact. The doctor, where he reached initially, also sanitized his clinic,” Naruka added.
Sources said that the suspected patient had left for his house after screening in MRTB Hospital but health officials reached his house to get him admitted in the evening.
TAKING ON THE CORONAGE
*PEOPLE TO BE SCREENED AT BUS STANDS, STNS
*BUSES TO MAHA OFF TRACK BETWEEN MARCH 21 AND 31
*CITY MALLS TO BE SHUT; GROCERY SHOPS CAN REMAIN OPEN
“Steps to shut down Malls have been taken to discourage public gathering as Malls see a huge footfall. Such orders have been issued under Section 144 of CrPC and action would be taken on its violation under section 188 of IPC,” - Collector Lokesh Jatav.
Better safe than sorry... that's the mantra the state administration is taking seriously to practically "maroon off" Madhya Pradesh from the neighbouring states in order to keep it insulated from the menacingly Coronavirus.
Soon, no entry into the city sans screening.
District administration plans afoot to start screening all the entry points in the city including railway station and bus stands to screen the patients coming from any city to Indore.
In its orders on Wednesday, Collector Lokesh Jatav mentioned that overseeing the scare of COVID-19, screening would be done at all entry points in the city soon.
At present, such screening has been done at Indore Airport but every passenger will have to go through the "screen test" if it begins at Railway Station, Bus Stand or any other place.
“Screening would start soon at all routes entering to city and the suspected patients will have to register their names and addresses with the medical officials and will have to follow their instructions,” Jatav told media.
He also issued an order to shut city malls till March 31 but grocery shops can remain open on terms of maintaining cleanliness, hygiene and thermal screening of the people.
“Steps to shut down Malls have been taken to discourage public gathering as Malls see a huge footfall. Such orders have been issued under Section 144 of CrPC and action would be taken on its violation under section 188 of IPC,” Jatav told media.
As no case has been tested positive in state yet but precautionary measures have been taken by the administration on a war-footing to prevent spread of the disease.
Informing about the grocery stores in Malls, he said, “Grocery shops situated in malls can continue its operation by fulfilling the condition of maintaining proper cleaning and hygiene there.”
No sanitizers at exam centres, students get own stuff
Safety begins at home... Even as cases of coronavirus are increasing in the country, DAVV seems to be non-serious over the matter as no arrangements of sanitizers and liquid soaps at the exam centres have been made for safety of students.
The exam centres have also not arranged sanitizers on their own to check spread of coronavirus on their campuses. Some candidates, who are forced to take exams in such situation, are bringing their own sanitizers.
Exam department officials stated that there is no need for sanitizers at centres as of now as coronavirus has not entered the state as yet.
56 Dukan, Sarafa chaupati shut for 7 days
Famous street food hubs of the city viz Chhappan Dukan and Sarafa Chaupati would be closed for a week in view of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The respective associations of these food hubs decided to voluntarily close their shops as a precautionary measure following an appeal by Indore Municipal Corporation.
Previously, the district administration had directed the shopkeepers of Chhapan Dukan and Sarafa Chaupati to keep their shutters down on weekends, when it is most crowded, to check spread of coronavirus.
Ab bus karo: MP puts brake on Maharashtra
Aiming to break the chain of COVID-19 spread, Divisional Commissioner Akash Tripathi has ordered to stop bus services to Maharashtra, especially to Mumbai and Pune, from March 21 to March 31.
The orders have been given to prevent people from spread of the deadly disease of which highest number of patients found in Maharashtra.
According to Deputy Transport Commissioner Sanjay Soni, as the direction of Divisional Commissioner, they have ordered all the bus operators to stop bus services from Indore to Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, ARTO Archana Mishra said that about 150 buses ply between Indore and various cities of Maharashtra and about 7,000 passengers travel in these buses every day.
“All the buses for Maharashtra will be stopped from March 21. We have also directed all the bus operators for not providing blankets to the passengers and also to remove curtains from the buses. Thermal scanning of the passengers will also been done by the operators,” Mishra added.
IIT-I extends mid-term break till Mar 29
Indian Institute of Technology Indore has extended mid-term break of students till March 29 in view of coronavirus outbreak.
“The classes were to resume after mid-term break on Monday but the institute extended the break till March 29,” said IIT Indore public relation officer Sunil Kumar.
IIM Indore on Tuesday had suspended all the classes and exams with immediate effect. All the students were also advised to vacate their hostel rooms and return to their homes.
IIT Indore is expected to ask its students also to vacate hostels and return to their homes.
