Arrest orders were issued against a patient showing coronavirus-like symptoms in Fardikot district as a “preventive measure” after he refused to stay in the isolation ward.
Faridkot Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate issued formal orders directing the police chief to intervene and arrest the patient if he showed any resistance to be isolated in the ward designated for suspected coronavirus patients making it the first case across India where arrest orders were issued against a suspected patient for resisting the medical protocol to quarantine suspected cases in the isolation ward.
The patient, name being withheld, finally conceded to escape arrest, and is currently under observation in the isolation ward of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital.
He had returned from Canada on January 27 to his house in Kotkapura about a week ago. On his return journey, the person stopped over at Shanghai for nine hours.
The person turned up in the hospital with coronavirus like symptoms. While his blood sample was immediately taken and sent them to National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for testing, high drama was witnessed after the patient refused to stay in the isolation ward.
In fact, the patient returned home, prompting the Civil Surgeon to seek the intervention of the district magistrate. Taking serious note, the written order of the District Magistrate to Faridkot SSP stated, “In case there is any resistance, the person shall be immediately arrested and kept in isolation guarded by the police.”
The suspected patient’s unrestrained movement could have been a serious risk to life for others in the event of his reports confirming the presence of coronavirus.
Amid chaos and fear among medical officers and residents, a police team was sent to the person’s house, and was later escorted by the police to the isolation ward in the hospital where he is currently under observation. His wife and son were also kept under observation.
Since the patient finally acceded to stay in the isolation ward, his arrest was not made. “There was no need for any action as the patient had agreed to stay under observation. An arrest order was issued as a preventive measure,” said Deputy Commissioner Kumar Saurabh Raj.
NO CONFIRMED CASE, SAYS MINISTER
In a major relief, nasopharyngeal swab samples of suspected 2019-nCoV (Coronavirus) persons from Punjab have been reported negative by Institute of Virology, Pune.
Informing, the state Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Tuesday said that the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, has confirmed 22 negative cases, while report of one case, from Faridkot, would be received by Wednesday.
He said that there is no case of coronavirus reported in the State so far and the Punjab Government is working on the war footing to specifically screen all the cases having history of China or transit stay at China airport.
“Of 85 suspected cases reported in Punjab, 84 found asymptomatic and a total number of 77 patients have now kept under the close observation,” said Sidhu adding that 3915 passengers at Amritsar Airport and 4476 passengers at Mohali Airport have been screened where none of them were diagnose with symptomatic.
The Minister said that to keep a watch on Attari-Wagah border and Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, medical posts have been stationed at both sites which are, besides screening, are also carrying out awareness activities among the people who travel from Pakistan and are sensitizing them to submit self declaration regarding any travel history to China and having symptoms of virus.