14-day quarantine for outsiders entering Chandigarh

An outsider entering Chandigarh will be quarantined for 14 days as per a decision taken in a review meeting chaired by UT administrator VP Singh Badnore on Saturday.

UT adviser Manoj Parida said as per government of India’s directions, outsiders entering the city will be quarantined for 14 days either at home or in government facilities to prevent spread of infection.

He, however, stated that this will not apply on residents of neighbouring cities who are out on government duty or catering to essential services.

He said as per the ministry of home guidelines, the entire UT has been declared as containment zone. “Since in Chandigarh, the coronavirus outbreak is scattered and not confined to a specific pocket, area, village or cluster, the entire city has been declared a containment zone,” he added. The latest declaration has ruled out any relaxation of curfew from April 20.

Meanwhile, Badnore expressed serious concern over health workers getting infected after two Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) workers were found positive for the virus on Friday.

He directed that authorities of all government and private hospitals must strictly follow the protocol laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) while treating Covid-19 patients. He also stressed that the administration must rigorously do the contact tracing of these two patients and ensure that the infection is contained.

He advised the PGIMER director to ensure that proper safety, security and sanitisation is done on the institute campus so that there is no reoccurrence of such infections.

He directed the chiefs of all medical institutions to ensure that critical non-corona cases are also attended to on priority.

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Sec-26 mandi to remain closed on Monday

The UT administration decided to shut the Sector 26 wholesale mandi on Monday for sanitisation and cleaning. There will be no distribution of vegetables and fruits by the administration’s buses on Monday.

Badnore directed that the flour mills should be kept open, so that the beneficiaries receiving the wheat under PMGKAY can get it milled.

Municipal commissioner KK Yadav stated that sanitisation through drones has been started in the city. He also stated that distribution of baby food for the needy mothers has been arranged by the municipal corporation.

4800 rapid kits received

Principal secretary (health) Arun Kumar Gupta said 4,800 rapid testing kits have been received, which will be utilised as per the advice of medical experts. The administrator has given directions to coordinate with Panjab University, Punjab Engineering College and other NGOs for blood donation camps.

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UT allows patients from other states at PGIMER

The UT administration also allowed treatment of serious Covid-19 patients from other states at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) following a protest from Haryana.

UT adviser Manoj Parida shared it through a tweet on Saturday, saying that PGI will continue to treat serious corona or non-corona cases of neighbouring states, if local doctors find treatment beyond their capacity.

“Only condition is that they must consult in advance PGI director so that they are ready to receive patient without causing infection,” he said.

Earlier UT had restricted the institute to entertain Covid-19 patients only from Chandigarh that created a problem in Panchkula three days ago.

As reported by Hindustan Times on Saturday, PGIMER declined the request of Panchkula chief medical officer regarding shifting a serious Covid-19 patient. Justifying the denial, PGIMER dean (academics) Dr GD Puri in a statement said “they were restricted by Epidemic Act evoked by the UT administration that stopped the inter-state migration of corona patients”.

This, however, did not go well with Haryana government and state chief secretary took up the matter with UT and PGIMER authorities. Sources confirmed that Union minister of health and family welfare too intervened in the matter.

Will strengthen coordination with states: PGI director

PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram said the system at the institute level will be strengthened for better cooperation with the neighbouring states for the treatment of Covid-19 patients who need critical support and care. “Primarily, if the patient who require intensive care unit (ICU) support, experts from anaesthesia and internal medicine departments will be nominated for coordination with the neighbouring states for decision on shifting of critical patients,” he said.

Dr Ram said that the patients who can be treated at local facilities should not be referred to the institute as isolation is the only possible way to stop the spread of infection.