'Form Covid monitoring committee, and share data with state regularly'

MP | 7 June 2022 | Kolkata: In the wake of a slight rise in daily Covid cases in some pockets, the state Health department directed government hospitals having a Covid ward to form a monitoring committee which will share Covid-related data with Swasthya Bhawan on a regular basis. 

Health department will ask the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in all the districts to strengthen surveillance so that people follow the Covid norms. 

Monitoring will be resumed in various public places as a precautionary measure. It has been observed that most of the people in the city and various districts are not wearing masks while stepping out of their houses and Covid norms are not all followed in public transport. 

The district officials may be asked to ensure that people wear masks while visiting local markets and other public places. Senior health officials on Monday carried out a meeting to discuss various aspects relating to Covid scenario in the state. The officials observed that there is nothing to panic as the number of daily infected cases is fully under control but in some pockets, the infection rate is much higher. 

A recent sentinel survey carried out by the health department reveals that the infection rate is higher in some pockets of North 24-Parganas, West Midnapore, East Midnapore. According to the health department's instruction, the hospitals which have a Covid ward have to furnish patient related details to the health department's website on a daily basis. 

The Chief Medical Officers of health (CMoHs) in the concerned districts will also keep a tab on the situation. Necessary instructions were given to all the CMoHs in the districts who attended Monday's meeting virtually. 

All the hospitals which have a Covid ward lying idle have been asked to make necessary arrangements to cope with the situation if the daily infection rate continues to go up. Most of the government run hospitals which were extending Covid treatment during the surge had to close the Covid ward as the daily infection in Bengal went below 50. Health experts warned that lifting mask mandates in public transport and not following Coid norms may contribute to the rise further. 

"As the number of daily Covid cases dropped below 50 in the state, people seemed to have assumed that Coronavirus might have disappeared. Most of the commuters in local trains and buses are not wearing masks and following Covid norms like sanitizing hands. 

If the situation continues, the daily infections may go up further," said Dr Gopeswar Mukherjee, a senior pathologist in the city. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/form-covid-monitoring-committee-and-share-data-with-state-regularly-481139