Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SHS)
Mangalore, May 30: A medical surveillance unit has been set up at Mangalore International Airport to screen passengers reported with symptoms of Mers-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus). The unit started to operate from Thursday, May 29.
The MERS-CoV, a viral disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The outbreak of the disease has caused serious concerns over passengers traveling from the Middle Eastern countries. Approximately 27% of patients with MERS have died across the Middle East. There is no positive case of Mers reported in India yet.
The health department has now set up surveillance units at two airports, one in Mangalore and other in Bangalore as a precautionary measure.
At the Mangalore International Airport, passengers arriving from countries such as UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia will be screened for Mers symptoms. Passenger who is found to have such symptoms will be treated immediately.
On May 19 a 63-year-old lady was suspected to have symptoms of MERS-CoV. On May 22, she showed symptoms such as cough, fever and cold, following which she was admitted to a private hospital where she was quarantined by the doctor who attended to her.
The blood and respiratory secretion (throat sample) of the lady was sent to KMC hospital lab at Manipal. Much to everyone's relief, the result turned out negative. Nevertheless, to be doubly sure, the district health authority also sent the sample to National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) to corroborate the results of the tests conducted at Manipal. The report is expected to be out in a couple of days.
Addressing press persons, district family welfare and health officer H S Shivakumar said, a unit has started screening the passengers arriving from Middle Eastern countries at the airport. "This initiative was taken with the co-ordination of airport officials. One doctor, two paramedics and one 108 ambulance are deployed at the airport to examine and take the passenger with Mers symptoms to the hospital," he said.
The authorities will immediately quarantine the passenger to the hospitals of their choice or to the hospitals earmarked by the department. The department has marked two KMC hospitals, Father Muller, Unity and Yenepoya hosiptals in Mangalore for treatment of Mers patients. Henceforth according to the guidelines of the health ministry, blood and respiratory secretion samples will be sent to National Center for Disease Control at Delhi and KMC hospital in Manipal.
Passengers who suffer from cough, fever, cold and body pains can consult the screening unit for further medical examination. The virus gets transmitted from one person to another through air while sneezing, coughing and also through handshake if the infected person's hands are unclean, Shivakumar explained.
The typical case of MERS consists of fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is a common finding on examination. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported. Severe illness can cause respiratory failure that requires mechanical ventilation and support in an intensive-care unit.
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