Health Minister inspects isolation ward at Government Stanley Hospital

After the inspection, the Minister said that the department has traced and quarantined 10 people who were in close contact with the 20-year-old man who was tested positive for the virus in the State on Wednesday.

“After identifying the second positive case in the State on Wednesday, we tracked his travel history and quarantined 10 people who were in close contact with the patient. Tamil Nadu’s first COVID-19 patient tested negative after treatment at RGGGH and was discharged on Wednesday,” the Minister said.

After inspecting the isolation ward at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, he expressed hope that the situation will normalise in the State by March 31. “Government Stanley Medical College Hospital has 31 bedded isolation wards as per protocol and an exclusive fever clinic has also been set up,” he added.

So far, the State has sent 320 samples for testing to King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, National Institute of Virology, Theni Medical College, Thiruvarur Medical College and Tirunelveli Medical College. Out of the 234 tested samples, 232 were negative. As many as 84 samples are under process and two samples are in transit, the minister noted.

Commenting on the steps taken, Director of Public Health K Kolandasamy said that all international passengers have been screened for fever. “As many as 30 airports in India have thermal screening facilities. In Tamil Nadu, 1.94 lakh passengers have been screened at Chennai, Tiruchy, Madurai and Coimbatore airports till date. A total of 3,481 passengers have been placed under home quarantine for 28 days and 39 are in isolation wards at hospitals,” he said.

He also advised the members of the public to refrain from travelling to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Spain and Germany and avoid non-essential travel to other COVID-19 affected countries.