A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: In view of spike in number of COVID-19 positive cases in Cachar district, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Pijush Hazarika directed the district administration to construct a makeshift 1000-bedded COVID Care Centre in Silchar town.
Reviewing the COVID-19 situation with the district administration at DC's conference hall here on Monday, Minister Hazarika asked the administration to set up a makeshift 1000-bedded COVID Care Centre in the town in consultation with the people's representatives within 10 days. "The makeshift centre has to be of robust structure with water proof and other amenities," he added.
The Minister directed the administration to ruthlessly implement the wearing of masks and social distancing and to raise the levy of fines to Rs 1,000. "It is only through wearing of masks and social distancing we can arrest further spread of COVID-19 pandemic. And towards this end, the civil and police administrations have to ruthlessly enforce the guidelines," he added.
The Minister also instructed the administration to increase the bed capacity for treatment of symptomatic patients.
Hazarika asked the administration to raise the bed capacity of Silchar Medical College and Hospital to another 200 and to make provisions for more beds at Model Hospital at Palanghat.
The Minister told the Deputy Commissioner to hold discussions with peoples representatives and senior citizens on enforcing total lockdown in market places.
Hazarika requested the MLAs to help the administration in identifying designated cremation ground in their respective constituencies for conducting last rites of COVID-19 victims. The Minister also urged the MLAs to spread the message loud and clear that there was no fear of anyone getting infected from a COVID-19 victim, citing instances of his own attending last rites of such persons without getting infected.
The Minister also instructed the administration to intensify the plasma donation campaign in order to save lives of coronavirus affected persons.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli briefed the Minister about the COVID-19 situation and the ramping up of health infrastructure through a power point presentation. Cachar has a bed strength of 3327 in 98 facility quarantine centres with seven dedicated COVID Health Centres with a bed strength of 650.
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