No Positive Case of COVID-19 Reported in Punjab so far : Balbir Singh Sidhu
Food Drug Administration to ensure that wholesalers & retailers to not charge exorbitantly or hold stocks of some drug formulations, consumables and masks
5 Dariya News
Chandigarh 06-Mar-2020
The Health Minister Punjab Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that no positive case of COVID-19 has been reported in Punjab so far while 5814 persons, with travel history of affected countries, properly screened by the teams of the health Department. Nine persons are symptomatic as on today and their samples had been sent to the AIIMS Delhi.The Cabinet Minister said that the situation is being closely watched and being monitored by State and district teams of Health Department to avoid any outbreak. He said that instructions have been issued to all Zonal licensing Authorities and Drug Control Officers to ensure that whole sellers as well as retailers should not charge exorbitantly or hold the stocks of some drug formulations, consumables and masks. They are also directed to conduct meetings with Chemist Associations of their respective areas to ensure the availability of such products across the state. He said that if anyone found indulged in black marketing, hoarding of drugs and other products, strict action would be taken against the chemist under the provisions of DPCO, 2013. He said that no laxity will be tolerated in this regard at any level. He said that with the rise of demand, some of the chemists by taking the advantage of temporary/artificial shortages of medicines and products might be overcharged and stashed the same.
Balbir Singh Sidhu apprised that Department of Health has sufficient stock of triple layered masks and N95 masks apart from PPE (Personal Protective Equipments) which are used by health care staff while managing suspected cases of corona or other such infectious diseases. He said that State has also procured and provided infra-red thermometers (non contact thermometers) to Airport Mohali, all District Hospitals and Govt Medical Colleges so that body temperature of the suspected patients could be tested without touching.The Health Minister divulged that apart from State Rapid Response Team, District Rapid Response teams and District Nodal Officers with control room numbers have already been identified in all districts for the convenience of people. He said that beds in isolation wards have also been increased from 649 to 823. He said that daily reporting is being done from head quarter to central surveillance unit, IDSP Delhi, Government of India.The Health Minister said that “Till date, 71,900 patients had been screened across the State, of these, 48,867 passengers at Amritsar Airport, 5,116 passengers at International Airport of Mohali, 5,401 passengers at Wagah/Attari Border Check Post and 12,516 passengers had been screened at Dera Baba Nanak Check Post.Mr.Balbir Singh Sidhu also appreciated the hard work of teams of IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme) in doing daily surveillance for Corona at high risk areas.