Thane: TMC scrambles amid rising Covid-19, influenza cases; commissioner asks officials to step up vigil

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Amid the rising coronavirus and influenza cases in Thane, the city's civic body chief has asked the officials to remain vigilant.

Thane Municipal Corporation commissioner Abhijit Bangar on Friday directed the officials to ensure that there is no shortage of isolation rooms, beds, oxygen system if needed, doctors, nurses, medicines for patients affected by Covid-19 in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital.

In a review meeting, the TMC chief asked health officials to increase the number of antigen tests in public places as well as crowded places such as markets and railway stations.

Bangar said that six cases of of H3N2 influenza have been detected in Thane.

"Six patients of H3N2 influenza have also been found, with symptoms similar to Covid-19 such as sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fever, fatigue," he said.

Bangar advised the residents to get necessary tests done if such symptoms are found. In order to curb the spread of coronavirus, the civic body has started daily Covid-19 testing facilities at all the civic health centres.

Bangar said that 85 patients have been found to be infected with Covid in Thane municipal limits between March 1 and March 16. Out of 85 cases, 80 are active who are under home quarantine, three are undergoing treatment at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital and two are undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

He also said that the symptoms of the patients who are under home quarantine are mild.

Meanwhile, Kharegaon has 15 Covid-19 cases and Mumbra has 10 cases. The TMC chief instructed officials to increase the number of tests so that maximum number of citizens will be tested in both the areas.

Amid rising Covid-19 cases, the civic body has created a 15-bed isolation ward at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital for patients who have only one toilet at home and no separate accommodation. And five beds are kept for the ICU.

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"If the number of patients increase, then arrangements of beds, isolation arrangements should be made immediately. Daily tests should be increased to 2,500 and RT-PCR tests should also be continued effectively," Bangar said in the review meeting with civic and health officials.

In order to avoid inconvenience to the Covid-19 patients, Bangar directed officials to keep 24X7 ambulances available to take coronavirus positive patients to Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital for treatment.

"Help desk should be set up to inform the relatives about the patient after admission. In future, the number of antigen tests should be increased and the number of antigen kits should also be increased accordingly," he said.

The TMC chief further said that if any of the Covid-19 patients require dialysis, the facilities of the dialysis machine should be provided in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital. He also instructed that the dialysis machine at the parking plaza should be shifted to Kalwa Hospital.

Bangar urged families of Covid-19 positive patients to cooperate with the civic body to curb the spread of the infection.

"Antigen and RTPCR tests of the patients family should be done on priority basis and also of the persons who came in contact with Covid-19 positive patients," Bangar told officials.