The total number of positive patients in Rajasthan has reached 54 as four new patients were traced on Saturday. The government has formed an advisory committee of 7 senior specialists of the state to advise the government about steps to be taken to tackle the CORONA crisis.
Of the four patients that tested positive today 3 are from Bhilwara and all are from Bangar Hospital where one of the doctors had become infected and spread the contagion. Two are male nursing staff who had been working in the emergency and one is a female typist.
The patient who tested positive in Ajmer is a 23 year old male who works as a salesman and has a travel history to Punjab.
Addressing a meeting of medical and health department officers through video conferencing Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed to make immediate purchase of rapid test kits, once it gets approval from ICMR to facilitate screening in large numbers.
Gehlot said elders are most vulnerable to the infection and maximum deaths due to COVID-19 have been among people aged over 79 years. Thus people should be made aware that elderly people and children should not be allowed to mix with others so that there is no danger of infection.
Terming healthcare workers as frontline warriors, Chief Minister said, “All healthcare works including doctors, nursing staff and paramedical staff should be checked in regular intervals so that if any of them is infected then it can be diagnosed at the right time.”
Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said people should stay indoors to check the spread of the disease and said that police would conduct flag march for this. “Both police and Army could be brought in for flag march to ensure that people stay indoors.”
The health minister also expressed apprehension that the crisis could continue till the end of the year, “Doctors have expressed apprehension that this could last till June and even extend up to November or December. We are making all possible arrangements for this.”
He said that the state is in need of 14000 ICU beds and 10000 ventilators and chief minister has issued instructions for purchases. “Doctors have estimated 2 ICU bed and 2 ventilators per ten thousand. Orders have been issued for urgent procurement of available equipment,” said Sharma.
