Ministry of Railways issues health advisory amid Coronavirus outbreak

Amid the deadly Coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Railways on Saturday issued a health advisory for all the travellers. Taking to the microblogging site, the Ministry of Railways has advised people to follow the basic hygiene routine and take precautions to protect themselves from the coronavirus outbreak.

It has also taken a number of steps in view of the Coronavirus outbreak that has now been declared a global pandemic. 

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The following action has been taken for the prevention of Coronavirus (COVID-19) by Indian Railways.

• Information, Education, & Communication (IEC) material (posters and pamphlets) regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) are being prominently displayed for awareness in local language at railway stations and in trains.
• Audio and video clips are being played at railway stations to spread awareness. Public announcements are being made at stations.
• In Railway hospitals, people with fever are being separated from other patients. Separate counter/ward with specific signage for fever cases has been established. Medical staff has been deployed at such areas having proper protective gears.
• Railway hospitals have been provided with 1100 isolation beds for fever-related cases for treating suspected Coronavirus cases with availability of necessary protective gears. Further, Railways has identified 12483 beds for quarantine at different locations across the country.
• Medical staff have been advised that if any patient of Coronavirus disease is suspected or reported in any of the Railway Hospital/Health Unit in Zone/PU, the same may be informed to Railway Board and local health authorities immediately.
• All medical in-charges of Zones /PUs have been advised to be in constant touch with the respective State authorities to obtain the guidelines/updates issued on the subjects and take necessary detection, prevention & curative measures suggested by such State Authorities.
• Control rooms and Telephone helplines have been set up at all Railway hospitals.

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Coronavirus in India

As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has soared up to over 80 - Haryana-15, Telangana-1, Rajasthan-3, Andhra Pradesh - 1, Karnataka-5, Jammu-1, Ladakh-3, Maharashtra- 16, Tamil Nadu-1, Uttar Pradesh-11, Delhi-6, Punjab-1, Kerala-19 (out of which 3 recovered). Along with it, two deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi and West Delhi respectively. 

India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories. 

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The Coronavirus crisis

First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel coronavirus has affected nearly 118 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 1,24,518 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 4,607 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

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