With reports of people testing positive for coronavirus and the rise in the number of suspected cases in some parts of India, the civic chief of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) held a meeting with the civic Health department on Wednesday morning to check the preparation.
The civic body has set up a 10-bed isolated ward in the civic hospital in Vashi.
AB Misal, the municipal commissioner said that there is a sufficient number of masks in the hospital. “I have asked the health department to procure masks and required medicine if there is a need,” said Misal.
Babasaheb Sonawane, health officer of NMMC said that there is a stock of around 400 masks in Vashi hospital where we have created 10 beds isolated ward. “Since there is no medicine for coronavirus, we have medicine in stocks for treatment as per the symptoms,” said Sonawane.
The civic body has also put on alert all the 23 civic medical posts to keep a tap on patients coming with symptoms similar to coronavirus. “We are distributing pamphlets and putting banners to aware people about the virus and precautions to be taken,” said Sonawane.
Sonawane said that people coming to Mumbai from Iran, Italy or countries where coronavirus infection has been found are already scanned at the airport. People who were found to be positive will be admitted in isolation ward in Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai.
"However, we have sent letters to all hospitals in Navi Mumbai and put them on alert," he added.
There are some multinational firms having their operations from Navi Mumbai who will be sent letters to inform if their employees travelled to any one of the countries where the virus infection has been found.
“I will discuss with the civic chief regarding the sending of a letter to all multinational firms operating from Navi Mumbai,” said Sonawane.
Meanwhile, Sonawane clarified that the family struck in Iran is not from Navi Mumbai. “The family was residing in Belapur in Navi Mumbai and their passport address also mentions Navi Mumbai. But, the family shifted to Dombivli about six months ago,” said Sonawane.
