BENGALURU: An adult male admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru, for showing symptoms of cold and cough after his return from China's Wuhan city on January 19, tested negative for the fast-spreading coronavirus.
'The samples of throat swab sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune tested negative. He was kept under observation until now and will be discharged soon.' said Dr Prakash, joint director, communicable diseases, state department of Health and Family Welfare.
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Dr Prakash also in a statement said, 'Chinese nationals and Indian citizens who have come to Bengaluru after a trip from China have been kept quarantined in their hotels and homes respectively, even though they show no symptoms. This will go on for the next 28 days. There is no reason for the public to panic, as we are taking necessary precautions,'
The panic surrounding coronavirus started after it was first reported in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei Province, in December 2019.
'Coronaviruses are types of viruses that typically affect the respiratory tract of mammals, including humans. They are associated with the common cold, pneumonia, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). It can also affect the gut,' an advisory recently issued by the Karnataka government reads.
Cases have been confirmed in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, France, Nepal and USA as well.
The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bengaluru and Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru have identified hospitals for the isolation and treatment of suspected or confirmed cases.