In response to the emergence of the new Covid strain JN.1, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) has escalated its alertness measures.
With a surge in Covid cases reported across the country, Maharashtra included, CSMC Commissioner G Srikanth has directed officials to implement robust measures to combat the virus.
Having gained valuable experience from previous Covid waves, the administration and medical officers are prepared to tackle this potential threat. In a recent meeting, CSMC's medical officers reviewed the city's medical infrastructure to ensure readiness in case of a sudden rise in Covid cases.
Dr Paras Mandlecha, the CSMC medical officer, assessed hospital readiness, availability of medical supplies, human resources, training, referral services, telemedicine facilities, and more. He emphasised the readiness of specific hospitals like Meltron Covid Hospital, EOC Padampura, Cidco N-11, Cidco N-8, and Nehrunagar Covid centres.
Dr Mandlecha instructed officials to conduct Covid tests for patients displaying influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI symptoms, conduct surveys in respective areas, ensure an abundance of testing kits, prepare oxygen cylinders and ventilators, and send samples of RAT positive patients to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for genome sequencing.
Symptoms to look out for:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the symptoms associated with the new Covid strain are generally mild to moderate, which includes fever, runny nose, and sore throat. It may also bring loss of appetite, persistent nausea, extreme fatigue, and, in rare cases, gastrointestinal issues like vomiting. Consulting a doctor is recommended, especially if experiencing unusual fatigue or digestive problems.
