Kannur: Health Minister KK Shailaja has said that the state has taken necessary precautionary measures in the wake of reports of a new virus that has caused a genetic mutation in Covid in European countries, including the UK. The minister was speaking at a review meeting of health department officials in Kannur. Surveillance systems have been strengthened at all airports in the state. Eighteen people from countries including the UK have been diagnosed with Covid. But it remains to be seen whether they are caused by a genetically modified virus. Their swab has been sent to the Institute of Virology, Pune for testing. The minister said that something can be said about this only when the results are available.
The new virus is treated early. But the fact that its transmission capacity is 70 percent higher than the old one makes the new virus even more dangerous. Therefore, measures need to be taken to prevent it from spreading. People should be more careful in this regard.
The Minister directed to prepare more CFLTCs in view of the possibility of Covid expansion in the new situation. Many of the earlier CFLTCs have had to be abandoned due to the opening of educational institutions. In this case, new systems need to be put in place. Covid treatment facilities in the district should be further strengthened in collaboration with private hospitals. The home quarantine system in the district is progressing well. At the same time, B-category patients arriving at the hospital should be provided with the best possible treatment and care should be taken not to switch them to C-category in critical condition. She said the C category should be brought back to life and the death toll should be kept to a minimum.
The Minister also directed to ensure that treatment for non-Covid diseases is made available in all the hospitals in the district along with Covid treatment.
During the last four and a half years, the district has witnessed an unprecedented leap in infrastructure development in the health sector. District-General-Taluk Hospitals are being equipped with all treatment facilities. The meeting also assessed that the construction work is in the final stages. All the primary health centers in the district will be converted into family health centers. Although the construction of the building has not been completed, steps are being taken to start its work within two months, the minister said.
The Minister said that the Covid prevention activities in the district were going well and appreciated all the people involved in it.
