PANAJI: Three persons including a woman have been quarantined at the isolation ward of the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim on suspicion on coronavirus.
According to information available, a British national was quarantined on Thursday while two persons who had travel history were quarantined on Wednesday. Incidentally all other patients quarantined prior to this at the GMC were tested negative.
According to GMC Dean Dr S M Bandekar, the emerging infectious disease now known as COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan China on December 31, 2019. In a span of just over two months the infection spread globally across over 80 countries infecting nearly a lakh individuals and resulting in over 3200 deaths. Kerala reported three imported cases initially. However, as on date, India has over 30 confirmed cases. Just like the rest of the world, our nation is also included by WHO in the high-risk category for the spread of infection, he said.
As of now, six suspects of COVID-19 have been placed under isolation at ward 113 and four of them tested negative and were discharged. Reports of the other two are awaited. Many of those without symptoms are placed under home quarantine and are all reported healthy till date.
GMC has identified ward 113 as a separate facility for screening and isolation of suspect cases until their test results come negative. Round the clock dedicated specialist services under the Department of Internal Medicine are available in this ward. We have taken the utmost precautions to provide full Personal Protection Measures to safeguard all our doctors, nurses and healthcare staff against acquiring infections. Two ventilators are available in this ward and more are being procured shortly.
The total beds that are being provided in this isolation facility are 30 and care is now being taken to prevent cross infections within otherwise healthy and suspect cases.
Shortly the GMC will arrange separate screening facility at OPD registration itself to check persons at risk or suspected to have any COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms. This is being done to provide dedicated services to these patients while avoiding the transfer of infections to other patients with comorbid conditions in other OPDs. Dr Bandekar also informed that hospitals have made all arrangements to ensure adequate stocks of masks, gloves, PPE as well as hand sanitizers for staff and patients and their caregivers. Additional buffer stocks are ordered and will arrive next week.
"Our Goan people must understand and apply the most important and appropriate methods of prevention on daily basis to avert potential infections," said Dr Bandekar.