BHUBANESWAR: Odisha on Tuesday reported its first death related to COVID-19. With comorbid conditions, the patient was undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
Official sources said the 72-year-old man, a native of Jharpada in Bhubaneswar, was admitted to AIIMS on April 4. He had a history of chronic hypertension.
"The person was in respiratory distress and died on Monday. Later his samples tested positive. His contact tracing and containment are on," a senior health official told The New Indian Express.
One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in the city on Tuesday taking the total number of positive cases to 42 in the State. While 39 among them are active, two have already recovered.
The 45-year-old man, who has been diagnosed with the virus infection, is a native of Madhusudan Nagar under Unit-IV. The COVID monitoring team has started tracing his contacts and history of travel if any.
Meanwhile, all employees of the Central Intelligence Bureau office along the RN Singhdeo Marg in Bhubaneswar have been asked to remain in home quarantine after one staff came in contact with a COVID-19 positive person. No one is allowed to enter the office premises.
Sources said the staff of the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) office had directly come in contact with one of the contacts of Surya Nagar patient, who was diagnosed with the virus infection on April 1.
"After the matter came to the fore during active surveillance, all employees of the IB office have been alerted and asked to remain in home quarantine till April 19. Their samples will be collected and sent for tests," BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said.
While Surya Nagar area has already been declared as a containment zone after 10 novel coronavirus cases were reported from the locality, the civic body personnel have initiated the process to sanitise the RN Singhdeo Marg area including the IB Colony.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal said the State Government has set up seven stand-alone COVID hospitals and is in process of opening more such facilities across Odisha soon.
"There are separate units for COVID patients. No doctor and paramedical staff engaged in the management of COVID patients will treat normal patients. All measures have been taken for the safety of doctors and paramedics deployed in the containment of the disease. Hospitals, which do not have dedicated COVID care facility, have been asked to not admit suspects," he added.