Don’t cause panic with false info: TN warns after ex-news anchor’s viral video
Following a video put out by former Doordarshan news anchor and actor Varadarajan on his personal ordeal trying to admit a COVID-19 positive friend at a hospital that went viral on Monday, the State government asserted that there were sufficient beds for patients in government and private hospitals here and said a portal would be launched to provide information on occupancy and vacancy.
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In the video, Varadarajan claimed that he had tried several private and government hospitals for admitting his friend who had been suffering from fever for two days and suddenly developed breathlessness. “I had approached heads of private hospitals, IAS officers etc. but none could help,” he claimed and urged people to remain indoors and take the coronavirus threat seriously.
In a strong refutal, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said, “Can you point out even a single coronavirus positive patient that could not be admitted due to non-availability of bed?” Accusing the actor of disseminating false information, Vijaya Baskar warned that the government will not be a spectator and will definitely take action against him. “Do not spread rumours, these are times of pandemic, government will not be a spectator,” the Minister said.
Patients who were sent to government hospitals in the dead of the night from private facilities were also successfully cured, he claimed. The Minister added there were about 5,000 beds in four government medical college hospitals and an ESI hospital in the city besides the Corporation’s 17,500 beds in COVID care centres. TN has 75,000 beds.
How is it fake: Newsreaders’ assn
A statement issued by Tamil Nadu Seidhi Vaasippalargal Sangam president SM Prabudhasan said Varadarajan’s comments were based on his own struggle to admit a relative to the hospital. “His only intention was to create awareness among the public about the need to avoid unnecessarily venturing out. However, the Health Minister alleged that it was an intentional attempt to spread fake news. How can it be termed fake?. We urge the CM to intervene and resolve the issue,” Prabudhasan said.
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