In the wake of swine flu outbreak, the State Epidemiological Cell of Directorate of Health Services on Tuesday in a meeting, decided on different measures to be adopted, including posting of three to four doctors at the Dabolim airport to screen patients coming in from infected countries like Mexico and the US.
The State Government today geared up its machinery to overcome any outbreak of swine flu which has affected countries of Mexico, US, New Zealand, France, Canada and UK.
The Health Ministry of Government of India has alerted Goa as one of the place which could be attacked with flue as there are large number of foreign tourists visiting the State.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat held a high level meeting today and asked the authorities to initiate measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease and to contain it before it spreads to citizens. Chief Minister said that there is no need of panic as the Government is taking all measures to prevent the outbreak.
Home Minister Ravi Naik, Chief Secretary Hauzel Haukhum along with the Health and Animal Husbandry authorities discussed at length measures to be adopted and the implementation of it will be done from tomorrow.
Chief Minister has instructed to constitute a team for implementation which includes Heads of Department like Goa Medical College, Health Department, Animal Husbandry and Tourism which will monitor the development as regards to the outbreak of the disease in the State.
State Chief Epidemiologist Dr Rajendra Tamba said visitors from swine flu infected countries would largely enter the country or the state via the airport so placing of doctors on rotation basis there was the top priority.
Dr Tamba observed that the sea port also has to be under vigil and in this regard they were taking help of port health officers. “We have released an advertisement in local dailies to make people aware of swine flu”, he stated.
He said a watch would be kept on those coming from swine flu infected countries and people who have visited these places in the last 10 days. We would be screening tourists coming from Mexico, US, UK, Spain, New Zealand, Canada, France, etc., he added.
THROAT SWABS: He mentioned that any visitor or tourist found having symptoms of swine flu or suspected to be a carrier would be screened and his/her throat swab would be sent for analysis to the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
CHICALIM: Dr Tamba informed, “We have decided to create an isolation facility at Chicalim Hospital where a suspected case would be observed and investigated. The cell is well prepared because it has past experiences to its credit”.
Dabolim Airport Director D Paul Manikam said fortunately Goa didn’t get direct flights from the US and Mexico which are affected in a big way. Secondly, the tourism season also is at the fag end with last six international flights remaining, he informed.
Manikam said they had not received any written communication from the State Health Ministry, but were ready to provide all facilities and assistance to screen international visitors. “The Immigration Cell has been intimated about the problem and is all geared to identify visitors from flu-infected countries”, he stated.
The Government machinery is being activated to track down the Britishers who have arrived in Goa in the last ten days.
According to a PTI report, the Tourism Department officials said that on April 18, Monark chartered flight brought in 80 passengers while on next day, April 19, five chartered flights brought in sizeable 327 passengers who are right now scattered all over the coastal State, mostly in the beach areas.
On April 20, Thomas Cook brought in another 50 tourists here. Thereafter, the department has no statistics of whether more charters arrived, the agency said.
Source: oheraldo
