Coronavirus: Screening at port, airport in Mangaluru

Deccan Herald

Mangaluru, 05 Feb: New Mangalore Port implemented Central government’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by screening the crew of cargo ships and passengers of cruise vessel, for coronavirus.

 

Sources in the port Said that screening was being carried out at the harbour since a few days. All the 1,800 passengers and 786 crew of cruise vessel Costa Victoria that stopped at the port were screened.

 

Arrangements were also made for screening of foreign nationals arriving at Mangalore International Airport (MIA). Besides screening, passengers were also made aware about the coronavirus and the precautionary steps to be taken. As many from neighbouring Kerala travel to Dakshina Kannada via bus, train and private vehicles, it is impossible to carry out screening in border areas.

 

Apart from Mangaluru, there are bus connectivity to Puttur, Sullia, Bantwal, Dharmasthala and Subrahmanya from Kerala. More than eight to 10 trains arrive at Mangaluru daily from Kerala.

 

Hence, it is impossible to take up screening of all the vehicles arriving from Kerala, sources in District Health and Family Welfare added.

 

District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer Dr Naveenchandra Kulal said the Department of Health and Family Welfare had appealed to people, who have arrived from coronavirus affected areas (China, Hongkong, South East Asia, Japan, South Korea) to Mangaluru in the past one month or in contact with the coronavirus-affected people in the affected areas, to contact the department at 0824-2423672 or surveillance unit at 0824-2427316 or helpline 104.

 

District Health and Family Welfare Officer (DHO) Dr Ramakrishna Rao said, ‘’There is a need for screening of those with the symptoms of coronavirus. There is no proposal to screen all those, who arrive in bus, train and private vehicles to Dakshina Kannada district from Kerala.’’

 

Arrangements

Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital, Deralaktte, has constituted an expert team in connection with the coronavirus.

 

Senior Resident, Department of General Medicine, Dr Prajwal K, one of the expert committee members delivered an awareness talk for all the staff in hospital. Major (Dr) Shivakumar Hiremath, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, said that isolation ward with 4 beds was set up in the hospital as per the guidelines.

 

He added that all OPDs have the copies of Preventive/treatment guidelines issued by the Government of Kerala.

 

A separate fast track clinic for patients with a history of cough, cold and fever was arranged at OPD (outpatient department) for screening and initiating immediate measures. The clinic is equipped with protective equipment for staff and patients attending the clinic.