In a major relief to Uttarakhand and its health authorities, the suspected patient of the Coronavirus admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, has been found negative for the dreaded disease. The suspected patient of Coronavirus was found to be suffering from common cold. The Director General (DG), health services, Dr Amita Upreti told The Pioneer that the blood sample of the suspected patient was sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for testing. The report was received on Saturday which puts her negative for Coronavirus 2019 (NCOV) . She said that the state has no case of the Coronavirus as of now and the department is alert on the disease.
It is pertinent to mention here that a female patient, a resident of Dehradun, was admitted to the AIIMS Rishikesh on Thursday after she exhibited symptoms similar to Coronavirus. Since the patient was a medical student in China and had recently returned from that country, the authorities became alarmed.
After the advisory sounded by the Government of India, the Uttarakhand medical health and family welfare department is on an alert mode for the disease. Since one person suffering from Coronavirus has been detected in Nepal, visitors from this country are being screened. The teams of health department at deployed at nine transit points on Uttarakhand Nepal border. These teams have been directed to keep a close vigil on those coming from Nepal and quarantine the suspected patients of fever and flu. The authorities are also scanning the visitors at Dehradun airport Jolly grant, Pantnagar airport and Pithoragarh airport. Special teams of the health department are also deployed at Haridwar railway station. These teams are keeping an eye on passengers suffering from fever.
The symptoms of the Coronavirus are similar to that of normal influenza. The symptoms include incessant fever, cough, irritation in throat, difficulty in breathing and pneumonia. The medical experts advice that people should cover their mouth and face while sneezing and should wash their hands and face regularly to prevent spread of the disease. People should avoid going to crowded places and refrain from shaking hands with others.
Those suffering from fever and cough should immediately take medical advice.
People are also being asked not to eat raw or semi cooked meat and egg.