BERHAMPUR: Battling a steady rise in Covid-19 cases on a daily basis, the Ganjam district administration is mulling to start plasma therapy to treat infected patients.
In a video-conference with medical and other district officers on Sunday, Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said plasma therapy has been started in the State and some patients have even recovered after receiving this treatment.
“The plasma collected from a cured persons can benefit two patients. The Chief Minister also has requested recovered patients to donate plasma. Steps are being taken to collect plasma from patients discharged from Covid-19 hospitals,” he said.
Since Ganjam has the highest number of cured patients, Kulange directed the officials concerned to gather details including blood group of recovered persons in their respective areas and approach them to donate plasma.
On the day, Ganjam reported another 247 positive cases including two more deaths in the last 24 hours. Of the new positive cases, 23 were detected in Berhampur city and 30 are Covid warriors.
The two deceased are a 70-year-old female and a 39-year-old male who was also suffering from diabetes.
Notwithstanding the spike in positive cases, people of the district with symptoms of Covid-19 continue to violate home quarantine norms and have become a headache for the administration. Kulange said such violations are not acceptable.
Those flouting the quarantine norms would face action under Epidemic Act, 1897 and Emergency Management Act, 2005.
The Collector also issued a written order to all the tehsildars, block development officers (BDOs), executive officers of municipalities and child development project officers of the district to put such violators in Covid care centres.
Kulange directed the medical officers not to neglect any patient and to keep them in isolation. He urged doctors to treat patients with minor problems on the spot and if necessary, refer them to other hospitals. Before referring them, the doctors should provide their details to the hospital so that they can get proper and timely treatment.
The transport officer was asked to arrange at least two ambulances with oxygen facilities in each block to meet any exigencies. The district has 118 ambulances. Besides, medicine stocks with anganwadi and ASHA workers should be verified at regular intervals so that any shortage can be met.
Many traders, dealing with essential commodities, have been infected in the district. Since traders regularly come in contact with the public, their screening should be carried out on a war-footing, Kulange said.
So far, Ganjam has reported 5,527 Covid-19 cases of which 3,753 have recovered. The death toll in the district stands at 54.