Team Herald
PANJIM: A middle-aged tourist from Delhi, who had travelled to China recently, has been placed in quarantine as a suspected case of Coronavirus at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC). The State authorities have urged people to avoid visiting China, except in cases of urgency.
Addressing media persons after chairing a State Task Force meeting on Tuesday, Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar said that the tourist from Delhi has been kept under observation at GMC after he complained of a sore throat. “The tourist, along with his wife had visited Kunshan, a city in China, which is 750km away from Wuhan, from where the virus originated,” he said. (Read Cafe)
Kumar said that the man’s blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing. “Once the report is out, we will inform. But for now, he is under observation,” Kumar said. The man’s wife, who is also suffering from a cold, has been placed in home quarantine.
The Secretary, however, said that though, there have been few suspected cases in India of Coronavirus, no one has tested positive. “All the samples sent to Pune, have reported negative. So in India, as per our information, there are no positive cases reported,” he said.
GMC has set up a 30-bed special corona isolation ward, while a two-bed ICU would also be set up to deal with any emergency. Health Department has also set up a special isolation ward at Chicalim sub-district hospital, which is close to Dabolim International Airport.
“We have come across a suspected case of #coronavirus, who is a foreigner travelling from China. The patient has been shifted to the Isolation ward at GMC. The medical sample of the patient has been sent for further investigation to Pune, confirmation reports are awaited. I would like to assure our citizens that the Task Force is reviewing the preparedness of the situation and are on vigil to tackle the virus,” said Vishwajit Rane, Health Minister.
Kumar said that government has urged the Union Ministry for Aviation to install a thermal scanner at the airport to check travellers, from China. “Also, State Tourism Department has been directed to issue instructions to offshore casinos, to report to the Health Department, if any visitor is from China or has travelled there,” he said.
On Tuesday, the State Task Force reviewed preparations to deal with suspected cases of Coronavirus, if any. Meetings were held with port officials, doctors and Indian Medical Association members, urging all to maximise awareness amongst the people about the deadly virus.
“Currently, the State is in a comfortable situation to deal with the cases, if any. All the required measures like beds, equipments, masks, etc are in place,” Kumar said.
Speaking further, GMC dean S M Bandekar asked people not to panic and look out for the onset symptoms of the virus, which includes fever, cough and breathing difficulties.
Stating that it is a new virus, the dean said that as per guidelines, children below age of 14 years are safe from it. “The virus is still being studied. It is not a deadly virus but synoptic treatment is considered as a proper procedure to deal with the virus,” he said.
