Chandigarh, Mar 11 (PTI) The Punjab government has initiated steps to buy 1,000 more 'personal protection kits' on urgent basis for doctors and other staffers to be engaged in treatment of coronavirus-hit patients, whose confirmed positive case in the state stayed at one till Wednesday.
The government has also secured the Centre's permission to conduct preliminary medical tests for suspected coronavirus-his cases at two government medical colleges at Amritsar and Patiala, besides PGIMR, Chandigarh, an official said on Wednesday.
Principal Secretary (Medical Education) D K Tiwari said staffers of all three medical colleges and hospitals in the state, including one at Fairdkot besides those at Amritsar and Patiala, have been imparted a special training to administer treatment to coronavirus-hit patients.
The government has also directed all its deputy commissioners not to grant permission to hold any big-gathering program to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, an official statement said.
A seven-member ministerial panel, constituted earlier by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, also held a meeting to take stock of the preparedness of various state government agencies and departments to tackle the corona menace.
The group of ministers, headed by Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra, was set up by the chief minister on March 7 to take stock of the situation on daily basis.
In its meeting, the panel examined the efficacy and needs of various measures to prevent the coronavirus affliction, the statement said.
Principal Secretary (Health) Anurag Aggarwal told the panel that at present only one case of a Punjab native, who had recently returned from Italy, has been confirmed positive for coronavirus affliction.
He said till date 14 suspected case have been reported in the state.
Aggarwal said passengers coming from high-risk countries are to be admitted in isolation ward for 14 days while those coming from low-risk countries have to submit an undertaking that he will remain in isolation at his home for 14 days during which he will not meet anyone.
The health secretary also apprised the ministerial panel of a plan to hold a mock drill soon in the state to generate public awareness about coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the total number of symptomatic cases in Punjab as on Wednesday stayed at 13, with all of them staying under observation in hospital, state health department officials said.
The total number of patients who have tested negative are 70, while those who are under home observation in the state as on March 11 are 1,584.
The condition of a Hoshiarpur native, who was tested positive for coronavirus after his return from Italy recently, is stated to be stable, officials said. The Hoshiarpur native is the first and sole confirmed case of corona-positive in the state. He is presently undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Amritsar.
The officials said the total number of passengers, screened till date at international airports of Amritsar and Mohali, and international check posts at Wagah/Attari Border and Dera Baba Nanak are close to 84,000. PTI SUN VSD RAX
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