Spike in COVID-19 cases force travel ban for government staff in Vellore

Spike in COVID-19 cases force travel ban for government staff in Vellore

If anybody wants to go out of the district for any emergencies, he/she should take prior permission from the concerned head of the department.

Published: 14th June 2020 12:22 AM | Last Updated: 14th June 2020 12:22 AM |

Samples being collected from visitors entering Vellore. (Photo | Express)

By Express News Service

VELLORE: The government officers and employees in Vellore district have been directed not to travel out of the district as COVID-19 positive cases have witnessed spike since the lockdown was eased from 1 June.

The district reported 128 positive cases from 1 June to 12 June and most of the positive cases were returnees of Chennai city.

Given the situation taking alarming proportions, the district collector recently issued an advisory to government officers and employees not to take trips outside the district and if at all anyone wants to go out of the district needed to obtain prior permission, an official said.

“Several government staff used to visit Chennai during the weekend. Now, the spike in positive cases is triggered by visitors thronging the district from the capital city. So, as a precautionary action, the government staff have been asked to avoid trips,” he noted.

The official added that if anybody wants to go out of the district for any emergencies, he/she should take prior permission from the concerned head of the department.

Tests taken at check posts

Meanwhile, samples are being collected from visitors entering into Ranipet, Vellore and Tirupathur districts from other places including Chennai.

Enclosures have been set up at the check posts in Ponniamman Medu, Pallur, Pudukesavaram, Shanagar, Rettaikulam and Pilanchi in Ranipet district border, Arabakkam in Vellore district and Madhanur in Tirupathur district, officials said.

Besides taking samples, the travelers were advised on precautionary measures to fight the global pandemic.

Even two wheelers entering into Ranipet district were asked to produce e-pass to curtail influx of people from Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvalluvar districts.

Administrative reasons for Beela Rajesh's transfer: Minister D Jayakumar

Administrative reasons for Beela Rajesh's transfer: Minister D Jayakumar

Min D Jayakumar said this while inspecting a containment work

Published: 14th June 2020 05:39 AM | Last Updated: 14th June 2020 05:39 AM 

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar inspects Covid-19 containment work at Navalar Nedunchezhian Nagar and distributes kabasura kudineer to residents

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, on Saturday, said that former Health Secretary Beela Rajesh was transferred purely due to administrative reasons and there was no ulterior motive behind it. “We cannot question administrative decisions,” he said, answering a question by a reporter after he inspected COVID-19 containment work in Navalar Nedunchezhian Nagar where seven people have tested positive so far. 

Reiterating the need for wearing masks, washing hands with soap and maintaining social distancing, the Minister said that the war against the virus can be won only with the cooperation of the public. On the allegations that the State Government had downplayed the deaths during the pandemic, the Minister said that the Government had no reason to hide deaths and that such COVID-19 deaths cannot be hidden.

He said that the Government was focused on controlling the cases in the city. “A total of 38,000 staff from various departments including Corporation, Health and others are on the field. Of them, 11,000 are involved in getting statistics by undertaking door-to-door surveys,” he said.

“Further, we have identified 8 lakh people across the city who are vulnerable and have comorbidities to track them regularly,” he added. He also said that the relaxations to the lockdown cannot be blamed for increasing cases. “Protecting livelihoods and controlling COVID-19 are on two parallel tracks,” he said.

Dr Narayansamy takes over as dean for Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, MMC

Dr Narayansamy takes over as dean for Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, MMC

According to the order, Dr Narayanasamy has been vested with full administrative and financial powers exercised by a Dean of the hospital.

Published: 14th June 2020 01:17 AM | Last Updated: 14th June 2020 01:17 AM 

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. (Photo | Shiba Prasad Sahu, EPS)

By Express News Service

CEHNNAI: Continuing the change in top posts at the Health Department, Dr K Narayansamy, Director and Professor of Hepatology at MMC will now be holding the additional charge as Dean of MMC and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital after Dr R Jayanthi has gone on leave until further notice. 

In an order dated on June 12, Director of Medical Education Dr R Narayanababu has appointed Dr K Narayanasamy as the dean of MMC and RGGGH, with immediate effect until further orders. 

When queried, Dr Narayanababu told Express that Dr Jayanthi was feeling unwell since last week and she has gone on leave. “Her health condition is not related to COVID. It is not sure when she would return,’’ he said. 

According to the order, Dr Narayanasamy has been vested with full administrative and financial powers exercised by a Dean of the hospital.

In the recent developments, Dr J Radhakrishnan had replaced Dr Beela Rajesh as Health Secretary while before that, Dr TS Selvavinayagam replaced Dr K Kolandasamy, who went on retirement.

ரிவர்ஸ் வேக்ஸினாலஜி முறையில் பரிசோதனை தீவிரம்; விரைவில் கொரோனாவுக்கு மருத்து...எம்ஜிஆர் பல்கலை. துணைவேந்தர் சுதா சேஷையன் தகவல்

ரிவர்ஸ் வேக்ஸினாலஜி முறையில் பரிசோதனை தீவிரம்; விரைவில் கொரோனாவுக்கு மருத்து...எம்ஜிஆர் பல்கலை. துணைவேந்தர் சுதா சேஷையன் தகவல்

2020-06-14@ 10:59:18

சென்னை: சீனாவின் வுகான் நகரில் இருந்து பரவிய கொரோனா வைரஸ், உலக நாடுகளை அச்சுறுத்தி வருகிறது. உலகளவில் இதுவரை 78 லட்சத்துக்கும் அதிகமானோர் இந்த வைரசால் பாதித்துள்ளனர். 4 லட்சத்துக்கும் அதிகமானோர் இறந்துள்ளனர். இந்தியாவில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டோர் எண்ணிக்கை 3,20,922 ஆக அதிகரித்துள்ளது. கொரோனாவால் இதுவரை 9195 பேர் உயிரிழந்த நிலையில் 1,62,379 பேர் கொரோனா பிடியில் இருந்து குணமடைந்து வீடு திரும்பியுள்ளனர். இந்த கொடிய வைரசை கட்டுப்படுத்தும் மருந்தை கண்டுபிடிக்கும் ஆராய்ச்சியில் பல்வேறு நாடுகள் தீவிர ஆராய்ச்சியில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றன.

இதற்கிடையே, ரிவர்ஸ் வேக்ஸினாலஜி முறையில், கொரோனா வைரஸை தடுக்கும் புரதம் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. கொரோனா தடுப்பு மருந்து கண்டுபிடிப்பதில், முதற்கட்ட ஆராய்ச்சி வெற்றி அடைந்துள்ளது. இந்த மருந்து ஓராண்டுக்குள் செயல்பாட்டுக்கு வரும். மனிதர்களுக்கு செலுத்தி ஆய்வு மேற்கொள்ளும் அடுத்தகட்ட நடவடிக்கை விரைவில் தொடங்கும் என கடந்த ஏப்ரல் மாதம் எம்ஜிஆர் பல்கலை. துணைவேந்தர் சுதா சேஷையன் தெரிவித்திருந்தார்.

இந்நிலையில், விரைவில் கொரோனாவுக்கு மருத்து எம்ஜிஆர் மருத்துவ பல்கலைக்கழக துணைவேந்தர் சுதா சேஷையன் தகவல் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். ரிவர்ஸ் வேக்ஸினாலஜி ஆராய்ச்சி பணிகள் தொடர்ந்து நடைபெற்று வருகிறது. ரிவர்ஸ் வேக்ஸினாலஜி முறையில் கண்டறியப்பட்ட புரதத்தை பரிசோதனை செய்யும் முயற்சி தீவிரமாக நடைபெற்று வருகிறது. 2-ம் கட்ட ஆராய்ச்சி பணிகள் இன்னும் முடியவில்லை. விலங்குளை கொண்டு தீவிர பரிசோதனை மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது. ஆராய்ச்சி பணிகள் முடிந்தவுடன் விவரங்களை தருகிறேன் என்றும் கூறியுள்ளார். 

இஸ்ரேல் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்கள்;

மத்திய இஸ்ரேலில் உள்ள, பார் இலன் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்கள், கொரோனா வைரசின் மூலக்கூறுகளை கண்டுபிடித்து விட்டதாக அறிவித்துள்ளனர். இந்த வைரசின் ஆன்டிஜன், புரதசத்துகள் மற்றும் ஆற்றல் மிகுந்த 2 எபிடோப்புகள் கண்டறியப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இவற்றின் செயல்பாடுகளின் அடிப்படையில் விரைவில் கொரோனாவுக்கு எதிரான மருந்தை கண்டுபிடிக்க முடியும் என்றும் இஸ்ரேல் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்கள் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளனர்.

Round 2 Reporting: MCC Issues Directions To Candidates

Round 2 Reporting: MCC Issues Directions To Candidates 

By Garima 

Published On 13 Jun 2020 5:20 PM 

New Delhi: Since there is an immediate need of doctors for the management of patients in the hospital during this unprecedented prevailing situation due to the COVID outbreak, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), while calling the PG medical candidates for Round 2 reporting, has released a list of instructions for them. 

Considering the coronavirus outbreak, it has become mandatory to conduct Reporting for Round-2 in PHYSICAL MODE/ OFFLINE MODE which is scheduled to start from 16th June 2020. 

Candidates will have to report physically to the allotted college along with original documents. Outstation candidates are advised to contact the allotted college authorities beforehand w.r.t Quarantine rules/Local Administration Guidelines of the State/ City before traveling. In order to facilitate the Physical Reporting of candidates a DO Letter from Health Secretary, MoHFW is attached below for treating Allotment Letter as Curfew Pass/ e- Pass. 

Candidates are advised to take note of the following points: Ø 

Use of 'Aarogya Setu App' may be mandatory in many areas/ colleges. Hence, it is highly advised to download the App. And show to State authorities, if required. Ø 

All Guidelines issued by Govt. of India/ State Govt. should be followed. The Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, New Delhi has been entrusted with the responsibility to conduct Online Counselling for allotment of Post Graduate (MD/MS/Diploma and MDS) seats to the eligible and qualified candidates as per the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in I.A. No. 16 of 2012 in Civil Appeal No. (s). 1944 of 1993 in the matter of `Anand S. Biji V/s State of Kerala &Ors.'. 

The Counselling for Round 2 of NEET PG Counselling, 2020 has commenced from 3rd June 2020 and physical reporting for joining allotted Medical/Dental Colleges across the Country shall commence from 15th June 2020. Joining of these Doctors at respective Medical/Dental Colleges is essential for the maintenance of healthcare facilities of various Colleges and Hospitals and their services are required at this juncture. 

In order to facilitate the smooth functioning of the same during this adverse situation due to COVID-19 outbreak, the health ministry has issued the following directions: 

1. Reporting of Doctors to allotted Medical/Dental Colleges through NEET PG Counselling, 2020 to be considered as an Essential Service 

2. . . The Participating Colleges/Institutes across the country should be allowed to open and operate for all activities related to preparation and conduction of the Reporting process to be held from 15th June 2020. 

3 Allotment letter issued by MCC of DGHS, MoHFW to be considered as the equivalent of curfew pass/E-pass for movement for the purpose of reporting at the allotted college from 15th June 2020. 

4. . The support staff/ observers of Participating Colleges / Institutes should be permitted to travel for the preparation and conduct of the reporting process from 15th June 2020. 

5. . Local authorities to provide necessary administrative facilitation for the conduction of the reporting process at the allotted college from 15th June 2020. TO VIEW THE OFFICIAL NOTICE, CLICK ON THE LINK GIVEN BELOW https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-130355.pdf

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/education/round-2-reporting-mcc-issues-directions-to-candidates-66681

Hyderabad's Gandhi Hospital in utter chaos as COVID-19 bodies pile up at mortuary

Hyderabad's Gandhi Hospital in utter chaos as COVID-19 bodies pile up at mortuary

DECCAN CHRONICLE | VIKRAM SHARMA

PublishedJun 13, 2020, 2:18 pm IST

The hospital administration is struggling to set things in order at the morgue.

Hyderabad: As fear of the killer virus fills the air, dozens of grieving men and women keep arriving outside the morgue at Gandhi hospital throughout the day to identify the bodies of their loved ones who died due to COVID-19.

Some wait endlessly, others plead or argue with the authorities to release the body quickly. The morgue staff, who too are on the edge, make each person stand at a distance and take a quick peek at the body, either through the transparent patch on the body bag or by slightly unzipping it -- all in a flash. None have the time or patience to go through the label on the bag which mentions the name, age, ward (where he died) and other specifics.

As chaos reigns supreme outside the Gandhi hospital mortuary, the hospital administration is struggling to set things in order at the morgue to avoid goof-ups like the one that happened on Thursday when the morgue staff released the body of a COVID-19 victim to a wrong family -- the second such incident in the recent past.

For the moment, the hospital authorities are mulling pasting a color photograph of the deceased on the body bag to help in easy identification, put up more lights around the mortuary and importantly, limit the time for releasing the body in evening, perhaps till 6.30 p.m. So far, bodies were being released at 10 or 11 pm.

Hospital sources told Deccan Chronicle that the ward boys involved with patient care have been reluctant to deal with the bodies at the mortuary after a few of them tested positive for the virus recently. They were the ones dealing it with regularly. Following this, the staff working under the Health Inspector have been requested to take charge of the morgue, as a temporary arrangement.

''Presently, staff from different departments and even security personnel are being made to work at the mortuary. The responsibility of the team dealing with the funeral start only after the body is placed in the ambulance,'' they said.

It takes anywhere between four to five hours to shift the body to the mortuary from the ward. After making an entry about the arrival into the morgue, it is packed one by one using disinfectants and other chemicals to arrest the virus from spreading.

Meanwhile, the bodies keep piling up and the rush at the mortuary increases. There is no time specified for release of the body and this leads to chaos throughout the day. If the venue for cremation of two or more deceased happen to be close to each other, then the bodies are released at the same time, which is convenient for body transporters. But this could lead to more waiting time as both bodies would not be ready at the same time. 

In Thursday's goof-up, wherein one Rashed Ali Khan's body was mistakenly given to another family, none noticed the label on the body bag, right from the time it was released from the mortuary till the cremation. When the family member who wrongly identified the body was questioned, he said that Rashed resembled his relative, who too had died due to COVID-19.

TN replaces its health secy after death toll discrepancy

TN replaces its health secy after death toll discrepancy

13/06/2020

Divya Chandrababu

letters@hindustantimes.com

Chennai : Tamil Nadu on Friday appointed J Radhakrishnan as the new health secretary transferring Dr Beela Rajesh to the commercial taxes and registration department, a day after the state’s data on death toll figures came under the scanner. The move comes at a time when a multi-disciplinary team appointed by the Centre to study the state’s low mortality rate, among other parameters, is expected to submit its report to the health ministry after visiting Tamil Nadu’s seven worst affected districts, including Chennai earlier this month.

Radhakrishnan is the current revenue administration commissioner and was Rajesh’s predecessor. “We are looking at team work, interdepartmental coordination and cooperation from public,” he said after taking charge.

The central team comprising two doctors from Puducherry’s Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research arrived at the capital city on June 4 and travelled to the worst-hit districts over three days to study the measures undertaken by the state to tackle the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, including testing levels, containment strategies, quarantine facilities, treatment and clinical management.

“Our concern is to prevent and contain the disease. If it spreads, we should not lose lives. In that context Tamil Nadu emerges as the best in the country. This visit will offer us insights which can be emulated in other states,” Rajendra Ratnoo, the team’s nodal officer, said.

Earlier this week, the TN Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine found that the death registry maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation recorded 236 deaths that were not added to the state’s tally. A nine-member committee was formed to reconcile Covid-19 related deaths for Chennai.

On if a rectification of Covid-19 death numbers would affect the report, Ratnoo said, “We have asked the government to share data with us which we will analyse again after it’s updated.”

As of June 12, Tamil Nadu (40698) had the second highest number of cases in the country after Maharashtra (101,141). While Chennai accounts for 70% of the caseload in the state, other affected districts include Chengalpattu, Kacheepuram, Thiruvallur, Ariyalur, Villupuram and Cuddalore.

However, Tamil Nadu also registers the second highest tests per million among the 10 worst affected states in the country. While the national average is 4024 tests per million (as of June 11), Tamil Nadu conducts 8662 tests per million. The only other state that tests more is Delhi, which had 34687 cases as of Thursday, and averages of 13703 tests per million.

The team is currently analysing the data and will submit the report soon, Ratnoo said.