Worried over a possible exposure to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV), which has infected a large number of people in China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and the United States, five more people with a travel history to China have self-reported to the State-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) since Monday night.
Following reports of the outbreak spreading in China and its neighbouring countries, more people with a travel history to these countries are coming to the institute to get tested. Those with symptoms are being quarantined. As many as 3,275 passengers have been screened at the Kempegowda International Airport since January 20.
Since January 24, a total of eight people were under observation. While one person, who was the first suspected case quarantined at the hospital, was discharged on Tuesday morning, another 40-year-old who had self-reported on Monday, refused to continue isolation in the hospital and instead requested home isolation.“We are sending him home on the condition that he will be under the supervision of surveillance officers.
Apart from him, there are six more at the hospital now. While one reported late on Monday night, four came on Tuesday. All these six have a travel history to China (Chengdu, Beijing and Shangai) but not Wuhan. They have mild symptoms — runny nose and sore throat — and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for tests,” said RGICD Director C Nagaraja.
Meanwhile, the State Health and Family Welfare Department has asked all private hospitals to set aside ten beds, exclusively for 2019-nCOV cases. “As some patients may prefer treatment in a private hospital, it is important that the private hospitals are equipped to handle the cases,” B.G. Prakash Kumar, State Joint Director (Communicable Diseases), told The Hindu on Tuesday.
The department organised an orientation programme on the virus for doctors from both private and government hospitals. “We have shared standard guidelines and treatment protocol to be followed. We also communicated to them to set aside ten beds and they have agreed,” Dr. Prakash added.
