Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the country reporting two positive cases of the dreaded coronavirus, the Odisha government has decided to provide infrared thermometers to five hospitals in the state as part of its precautionary measures.
“An infrared thermometer can accurately measure the body temperature of a patient from a distance of 6 cm. This will be useful to diagnose a patient afflicted with the deadly virus,” the director of Public Health, Ajit Kumar Mohanty, told the media on Sunday.
The infrared thermometers will be provided to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla and District Headquarters Hospital, Jharsuguda by Monday, he added.
Mohanty stated that thermal screening of passengers at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar and the crew of cargo ships and workers at Port Hospital in Paradip was underway.
He also informed that a team of doctors at Capital Hospital was now screening flight passengers after their arrival from Malaysia.
“The swab and blood samples of four persons, who arrived from Malayasia on Saturday, were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Besides, the blood sample of a youth from Kandhamal, who arrived from China on Friday, has also been sent to Pune. The youth is at present kept in an isolation ward of SCB Medical College,” Mohanty said.
