A 65-year-old Haj pilgrim, who showed symptoms of a respiratory infection, was taken to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (GH) on Monday afternoon, as a precaution against MERS-CoV or the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.
His condition was investigated and he was discharged around 6 p.m.
Officials of the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) said the patient is a resident of Chennai. He was identified in the airport screening programme and taken to GH. “We have been screening people returning from the Haj pilgrimage from October 21 for MERS-CoV. The screening will continue until November 4,” a DPH official said.
The man told health officials that he had had fever for three days while on his trip and that the change in water during the pilgrimage had brought on the symptoms of the respiratory infection. However, when he was admitted at GH, he had no temperature. Hospital officials said investigations were carried out in a separate ward, and a blood sample and an X-ray were taken. The sample will be sent to King Institute, Guindy, for testing for MERS-CoV.
The man will be monitored by local health officials.
