Don’t admit Kerala patients: DHO warns private hospitals

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 03, 2020:  In the continuing stand-off between Karnataka and Kerala on the issue of opening the state border to allow free movement of traffic into the state, the District Health and Family Welfare Officer of Dakshina Kannada district has issued a memo to all private hospitals in the district directing them not to admit patients arriving from Kerala.

 

The memo dated April 1, 2020 attributes widespread prevalence of COVID-19 disease in Kasaragod district as the reason for this decision.  Earlier it had been reported that several patients had died as a result of not admitting them to cross over to Mangalore for treatment. Kerala had then approached the Prime Minister and also the state High Court for relief. Kerala high Court had subsequently directed the centre to ask Karnataka to open the border. Karnataka is expected to challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile no new cases of COVID-19 have been found in Mangalore and 16 samples collected had turned up negative results. Results for another 16 samples are awaited. 73 persons had been screened on Thursday and with this the total number of persons screened has reached 38,446, the district administration has said. 5875 persons are presently in home quarantine and 30 persons are undergoing treatment in ESI hospital.  300 persons have completed 28 days quarantine.

MRPL has also officially denied alleged rumours that a Chinese ship had arrived at New Mangalore Port. The company has said that as the government has banned the entry of all foreign vessels, there is no possibility of any such ship to arrive at Mangalore.