Condition of coronavirus patients in Maharashtra stable: Uddhav Thackeray

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said that the condition of people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the state is stable and an alert has been sounded at airports and ports to increase monitoring of passengers. He also said that the state machinery is ready to tackle the coronavirus crisis and citizens should not panic.

The chief minister held a review meeting with Pune divisional commissioner and district collector through video-conferencing to discuss the steps being taken to tackle coronavirus. So far, five persons have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra. All five, including a couple, are based in Pune.

"The patients who have tested positive are stable. They have been kept under observation. The health department, airports, ports, railways are on alert and are taking necessary precautions," an official statement quoted Thackeray as saying. He urged citizens to avoid crowded places and social, religious gatherings.

Thackeray said that medical experts should be consulted to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be put in place and gram sabhas should create awareness against coronavirus in villages. He also directed that if required, quarantine facilities be made available at a hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad located near Pune.

At present, quarantine facility is only available at Naidu Hospital in Pune. Medical equipment, which needs to be procured, should be purchased through the district planning fund. "The divisional commissioner will be responsible for implementing the containment plan laid out by the Centre to tackle coronavirus," Thackeray was quoted as saying in the statement.

He said the high-risk persons, who had come in contact with those who tested positive for coronavirus should be tested and the low-risk persons should stay at home for 14 days. The persons residing within the radius of three km of those tested positive are at high risk. Thackeray said that the Centre will be asked to sanction more labs for throat swab testing.

"Medical experts from private hospitals should prepare an SOP regarding screening, lab testing and mass awareness and submit to the health department," he said. The tourism department has been directed to ask all the tour operators to check with passengers coming from out of the country and contact the health department if they are found suffering from fever, cough, the statement said.

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