Amidst the coronavirus scare, a youth, who returned from Italy recently, has tested positive for the deadly virus in Bhubaneswar. He is currently admitted at the Capital Hospital here.
This was confirmed by State COVID-19 Spokesperson Subroto Bagchi on Monday.
“The 33-year-old youth was doing research in Italy. He had returned to India on March 6. He reached Bhubaneswar on March 12 in a train. He consulted a private doctor on March 13 and was admitted to the Capital Hospital on March 14. On March 15 night, we got report that he has tested positive,” Bagchi said.
“However, there is good news that the patient does not have other complications so far. His health condition is now stable. As he had stayed at home with family between March 12 and 14, his father and domestic help have been asked to put themselves under home quarantine,” he added.
Following the incidence, the State Government has continued contact tracing. The patient came in contact with at least 129 persons recently, said Bagchi. The youth came in contact with 53 people and 76 train passengers, Bagchi said, adding that efforts were on to collect information regarding them.
He further informed that the clinic in Bhubaneswar, where the youth had consulted a doctor on March 13, has been sealed. The doctors and staffs of the clinic have been put on home quarantine.
“We have made arrangements to track the persons with whom the patient had come in contact in Delhi and Bhubaneswar during that period as well as the passengers who were in the bogie of the train in which he had travelled to Bhubaneswar from the national capital,” he said.
Necessary steps would be taken by the State Government after tracking those persons, Bagchi added.
Source said the youth is a resident of Bhubaneswar. He was quarantined in Delhi for a few days after screening at the airport. As no symptoms of coronavirus were detected in him, he was allowed to return home.
On March 12, he had arrived at Bhubaneswar in a train. However, he consulted a doctor here after he suffered from cold and fever. Even after taking medicines prescribed by the doctors for flu-like symptoms, he did not recover from illness.