Coronavirus Pandemic: Odisha Imposes Strict Regulations To Check Disease

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has made it mandatory for all government and private hospitals in the state to have COVID-19 corners for screening of suspected cases.

The directive is part of the government’s COVID-19 Odisha Regulations, 2020 announced after approval from the Cabinet on Friday.

These Regulations will come into force immediately and remain valid for a period of
one year, a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department said.

DIRECTIVES FOR HOSPITALS & COVID-19 SUSPECTS

During screening of such suspected cases, the hospitals have been asked to record the history of travel of the person to any country or area where COVID-19 has been reported. In addition, the history of contacts of the suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 is also required to be recorded.

A person with travel history to affected areas in the last 14 days and asymptomatic must remain in home quarantine for 14 days from the day of exposure. Persons, who do not observe the home quarantine guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, shall
be quarantined in government facilities.

Such persons must voluntarily report to the State Control Room (0674 2390466) or to the state Surveillance Officer, IDSP (9439994857, 9439994859)/ Toll Free number 104 so that necessary measures may be initiated by DMET, DPH, DHS and the Collector/ Municipal Commissioner as the case may be.

They must be isolated in a hospital and he/she will be tested for COVID-19 as per protocol.

Information of all such cases must be given to the State Integrated Disease Surveillance Unit and Collector of the district/local Municipal Commissioner immediately.

The suspects are not allowed to go for tests in any private laboratories. The private health care institutions intending to test COVID-19 must send their test samples through the State IDSP unit. The State IDSP unit will arrange testing strictly as per the guidelines issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi.

ROLE OF EMPOWERED OFFICERS

Director of Public Health (DPH), Director of Health Services (DHS), Director, Medical Education & Training (DMET), all Collectors and Municipal Commissioners have been empowered to take necessary measures to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 or its spread within their respective jurisdictions.

Officers empowered under the Act are authorized to isolate and/or admit a person who
develops symptoms simulating that of the COVID-19 infection. The empowered
officer may initiate action under the Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (48 of 1860)
against the person who refuses to comply to such advice of isolation and/or admission.

In the event of COVID-19 being reported from a defined geographic area such as village,
town, ward, colony, settlement, the Collector of the concerned district/Municipal
Commissioner of the concerned Municipal Corporation will implement
following containment measures to prevent spread of the disease:

–Bar entry and exit of population from the containment area.

— Close schools, offices, cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms and ban mass congregations, functions as will be deemed necessary.

— Initiating active and passive surveillance of COVID-19 cases.

— Hospital isolation of all suspected cases and their contacts..

–Designate any government building as a quarantine facility.

PUNISHMENT FOR VIOLATION OF REGULATION

No person/ Institution/organization will use any print or electronic or social media for
dissemination of any information regarding COVID-19 without ascertaining the facts and
prior clearance of the DMET, DPH, DHS or Collector as the case may be.

This is necessary to avoid spread of any unauthenticated information and/or rumors regarding
COVID-19. If any person/ Institution/ organization is found indulging in such activity, it will be treated as a punishable offence under these Regulations.

Any person/ Institution/ organization found violating any provision of these Regulations
shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of Indian
Penal Code (45 of 1860). Empowered Officers may penalize any person/ institution/
organization found violating provisions of these Regulations.