In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, a medical college in Kerala’s Kasaragod district has been converted into a COVID-19 hospital in a span of four days.
District Collector D Sajith Babu on Sunday, April 5, said that a dedicated Covid Care Centre (CCC) has been set up in the Kasaragod Government Medical College Hospital building.
He said that the modern COVID-19 treatment centre was made operational within four days at the behest of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The hospital started operations on Monday, April 6. “This Centre will now intensify the treatment in the district,” State Health Minister K K Shailaja tweeted.
The Covid Care Centre set up at Kasaragod Medical College will be functional from tommorow. This Centre will now intensify the treatment in the district#COVID19#CovidKerala#CovidIndia#Keralafightscoronapic.twitter.com/6U9Ud1FlcK
For the first phase of its operations, 200 beds and 10 ICU beds were readied in the building, said Dr Raman Swathi Vaman, National Health Mission district programme manager. The facility will soon get an additional 100 beds and 10 ICU beds, reportedThe New Indian Express.
Dr Vaman added that Rs 7 crore was invested to set up the facility and that 17 staffers, including doctors, nurses and nursing assistants, would be deployed at the centre.
The Government Medical College in Kalamassery, in Ernakulam district has developed a kiosk to facilitate faster sample collection.
Inspired by similar models deployed in South Korea, the walk-in sample kiosk, is the first of its kind in India. On Monday, two such kiosks were set up at the medical college premises.
“As part of the expansion COVID-19 sample test in Ernakulam district, Walk-in-Sample Kiosks are installed. The Kiosks will facilitate maximum sample collection,” Shailaja said in a tweet.
As part of the expansion COVID-19 sample test in Ernakulam district, Walk-in-Sample Kiosks are installed.The Kiosks will facilitate maximum sample collection.#COVID19#Keralafightscovid#Covidkeralapic.twitter.com/1bEeNtV28X
The kiosk enables healthcare workers to safely collect samples of patients, suspected of contracting the novel coronavirus, in the absence of personal protective equipment (PPEs). Almost fully sealed, the kiosk has two openings in the front with a hand glove attached to it.
The healthcare staff can stand inside the kiosk, behind a glass panel, and collect the throat swabs with the help of thick gloves attached to the panel, without directly exposing themselves. Once used, the hand gloves will be sanitised.
As of April 6, Kerala has reported 327 cases of the virus. Of this, there are 266 people under treatment at various hospitals, 59 people have recovered, and two died. At present, 1,52,804 people are under surveillance in the state. Of this, 1,52,009 are under home quarantine and the rest in various hospitals. Meanwhile, 10,716 samples have been sent for testing, of which, 9,607 have tested negative.