Coronovirus: N95 masks in short supply in Bengaluru

Karnataka seeks 6,000 more personal protection kits from Centre

Panic over the novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV) has resulted in the short supply of N95 masks — named so because they ostensibly block at least 95 per cent of very small airborne particles — in the city.

The price of a N95 mask, that was earlier sold at ₹100 to ₹120, has sky-rocketed. “It has shot up to ₹300-₹350 and most pharmacies have put up ‘no stock’ boards. We had procured some stocks in bulk before December and were able to get it at ₹80 per mask. We have again placed a bulk order for 1,000 masks with the same supplier and he has supplied 300 pieces two days ago. We are waiting for the delivery of the remaining masks,” said C. Nagaraja, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD).

Meanwhile, with more people with a travel history to China reporting with symptoms, the Health and Family Welfare Department has written to the Centre seeking additional kits of personal protection equipment (PPE).

The PPE kits include an N95 mask, eye protection, gloves, footwear and gown. “Although we have a stock of 500 kits apart from a sufficient stock in the hospitals identified for admission and treatment of suspected cases, we have written to the Centre seeking an additional 6,000 kits. We may need more stocks as people are reporting out of panic and 2019-nCOV is highly contagious,” said B.G. Prakash, State Joint Director (Communicable Diseases).

Apart from RGICD in Bengaluru and Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, the Department on Thursday said five-bed isolation wards will be set up in Jayanagar General and Epidemic Diseases Hospitals in Bengaluru as well as all district hospitals.

Besides, nearly ten private hospitals including Manipal, Fortis, Apollo, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Columbia Asia and Aster CMI have confirmed on Friday that they will have isolation wards, Dr. Prakash said.

Eight samples test negative

While eight more samples testing negative, the reports of which came on Friday, RGICD has only one patient in its coronavirus isolation ward now. With the Union Health Ministry modifying the admission and discharge guidelines in isolation wards, seven patients who had been quarantined were discharged on Thursday and two on Friday.

On Friday, 20 more people with a travel history to China, including a family of five from Begur in the city, self-reported at RGICD.

“As none of them had come directly from Wuhan and were clinically stable with only mild symptoms, we did not admit them. Their samples have been collected and sent to NIV, Pune. They have been advised to be under home isolation for 28 days,” said RGICD Director C Nagaraja.