Coronavirus: Railway prepares quarantine trains at Vizag station 

Visakhapatnam: As the number of Coronavirus cases in the country is on the rise, the Indian Railways, on 30 March, kept train coaches on standby at the Vizag station to be used as isolation centres. People have appreciated this innovative idea to fight the pandemic.

These isolation wards will be used to quarantine those people who show symptoms of the virus or have travelled to foreign countries. It is also a major step to support the state governments to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

Each railway zone will convert 10 train coaches into isolation wards every week, the Railways said. The middle berths in the train coaches have been removed on one side and all three berths in front of the patient's berth have also been removed. The ladders used to climb up to the top berths have also been removed. The washrooms and aisle areas have also been modified.

The Railways had prepared a prototype of an isolation coach, including a nurse’s cabin as well as a cabin for the patient. The Railway board also spoke to health experts to understand the requirements of the isolation wards. In order to ensure that meals are provided to those who are kept under quarantine, the stock in the pantry car is being checked.

Vizag has reported six cases and there are chances of local transmission which could become a huge problem in a city that has a population of around 25 lakhs.