No coronavirus detected yet but State vulnerable : Health Dept
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28 2020: Even though no case of novel coronavirus (nCoV) has been detected in the State so far, the State Health Department has warned that the highly contagious viral disease may break out any time as there are many from the State and other parts of the country who frequently visit China.

Meanwhile, the State Government has taken up several precautionary measures at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport and all entry points of the State's border areas so as to check spread of coronavirus in the State.

While appealing to all the people not to be unduly panicky, the Health Department has laid down several precautionary measures that may be taken up at the individual level.

Speaking to media persons at the Medical Directorate, Lamphelpat, Additional Director (Public Health) Dr L Arke said that the Health Department started taking up precautionary measures since the Central Government issued an instruction to this effect on January 18 after the outbreak of nCoV in China's Wuhan.

In line with the Central Government's instruction, the Health Department verbally instructed the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport authority on January 18 itself to detect fever cases and submit daily reports.

No coronavirus detected yet but State vulnerable : Health Dept

This was followed by a written instruction on January 22 .

Reports are also collected on daily basis from State Medical Officers stationed at the airport, Dr Arke said.

Moreover, Medical Officers have been stationed at entry check-posts of Moreh, Behiang, Mao and Jiribam where people who come into the State are checked for fever case.

Other details like where they come from and where they are heading are also recorded at the check-posts, said the Additional Director.

Similarly strict surveillance has been mounted at Moreh too.

A video conference was held yesterday between officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the Chief Secretary, the DGP and officials of the State Health Department.

The video conference discussed about the surveillance measures taken up at border areas.

A similar video conference would be held this evening, he said.

Dr Arke said that updated information on coronavirus is shared with the WHO and the NCDC every day.

Fever, runny nose, excessive coughing, sneezing, throat pain are some common symptoms of coronavirus.

If one is suffering from common cold, he/she would recover after around one week.

But he/she is infected by nCoV, the health condition would grow worse after one week.

Eventually, the patient would suffer breathing difficulty and chest pain.

Ultimately, he/she would suffer from hypoxia (deprivation of adequate supply of oxygen).

The patient may then collapse and die, said the Additional Director.

The incubation period of nCoV is 14 days but the WHO has made it 28 days to reduce the risks of mistaking it for other infections.

If any individual suspected to have been infected by nCoV is not suffering from the disease within 28 days, the individual would not suffer from coronavirus, Dr Arke said.

If anyone coming from China and other places where nCoV has been detected is staying in Manipur, they would be put under fever surveillance and their reports would be sent to the Central authority everyday.

In case anyone is showing symptoms of coronavirus, they would be housed in the isolation wards of RIMS and JNIMS.

People suffering or suspected to be suffering from coronavirus would be treated at the two hospitals in accordance with their Standard Operating Procedure (SoP), he explained.

Separate ambulances have been arranged for taking people infected or suspected to be infected by coronavirus from Imphal airport to RIMS and JNIMS, and these ambulances would not be used for transporting other patients.

Talking about precautionary measures that may be taken up at the individual level, the Additional Director said that people infected by coronavirus should be kept isolated.

One should cover one's mouth at the time of coughing, separate tissue papers or handkerchiefs should be used for cleaning bodily fluids, hands should be washed properly using soap and warm water, and one should not consume meat and fishes which are not properly cooked, he elaborated.

2019 nCoV broke out in China's Wuhan.

As no precautionary measures were put in place, it spread to a large number of people leading to the death of many people.

But now, Wuhan has been quarantined and isolated.

It is expected that the coronavirus outbreak would be contained very soon, Dr Arke said.

Any case of nCoV should be handled with utmost case so that it does not spread to one after another.

As of now there is no other treatment for nCoV except symptomatic treatment.

There is no vaccine for nCoV and antibiotics are not effective in people infected by nCoV.

But one need not be unduly panicky.

Most of the people who had died of coronavirus were suffering from heart problems, asthma and diabetes which means their immune systems were not very strong, he continued.

Even though nCoV spreads from one person to another very quickly, one need not be too afraid provided proper precautionary measures like maintaining strong immune system are followed.

On being enquired if there is any possibility of coronavirus spreading in the State through the second-hand/used clothes brought from China and other Asian countries, the Additional Director said that coronavirus cannot survive for more than 24 hours in room temperature.

Even if coronavirus is present in second-hand/used clothes imported from China and other countries, it poses little risks if they are used seven days after they are brought here, he added.