Pune: Now, all medical shops will have to inform Pune city police every day about people buying medicine, especially without doctor’s prescription, for COVID-19 symptoms like cough, cold, fever and breathing ailments. Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Shisave issued the order under section 68 (persons bound to conform to reasonable orders of police) of the Maharashtra Police Act.

The police have warned of action against those not following the order, as per section 188 (disobedience of order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

As per the order, medical shops have to write details in a register of all persons buying medicines for these ailments. They also have to mention whether the drug is meant for the buyer or someone else. Every day at 8 pm, the photocopy of the record has to be sent on police control room WhatsApp number 8575953100, with name, address and phone number of the medical shop. The details of medicine buyers include name, address and contact number.

The police said more focus should be on those customers who come for buying such medicines without prescription from doctors.

Jt CP Shisve said, “We will share details of these medicine buyers with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) which has started 74 flu clinics for further medical examination of such persons. The medical stores have to display the names of these clinics and guide customers (having symptoms) to the nearest flu clinic of the PMC.”

According to the order, there may be more increase in the number of coronavirus positive patients in Pune. Therefore, as per the advice of medical experts, it is necessary to identify such patients at the primary stage itself and break the chain of transmission.  

Sixty new cases of coronavirus were reported in Pune on Saturday, taking the number of COVID-19 patients in the district to 646, a health official said.

Three deaths due to coronavirus were also reported during the day, said an official of the Pune Municipal Corporation.