BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government on Monday went into an overdrive to identify and track 129 people who had come in contact with the State’s first coronavirus positive patient.
Chief spokesperson of the Government Subroto Bagchi said 76 persons came in contact with the 33-year-old man, a native of the city, during his train journey from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar and 53 others in his locality after he reached home.
“We have already identified 53 persons and asked them to remain in home isolation under constant supervision of doctors. Efforts are on to identify and collect information about 76 co-passengers, details of whom have already been obtained from the railway authorities,” Bagchi said.
The list of 53 persons include his family members, friends, relatives and neighbours.
The state government has also sealed the clinic where the man had visited after developing flu like symptoms.
The doctor and his staff have been kept under observation. Steps are also being taken to identify those who might have come in contact with the doctor and clinic staff after the man’s visit.
Sources said father and servant of the patient, who studies in Italy and also works part-time in a private firm there, have been admitted in the Capital Hospital and their samples sent for tests. “Had he been responsible, it could have been avoided.
"People returning from foreign countries and coronavirus affected States need to be more cautious and inform the authorities immediately. With the cooperation of all, we can keep ourselves safe and secure,” Bagchi added.
A joint team of health and civic body personnel disinfected and sanitised the area where the patient’s house is located.
The clinic and its nearby areas have also been disinfected. As per the protocol, fogging was also carried out.
The coronavirus affected man had arrived at New Delhi from Milan at 4 pm on March 6 and stayed at three separate locations there till March 11 before leaving for Bhubaneswar at 12 noon.
Next day his father received him at Bhubaneswar railway station at 5 pm and the two took an auto-rickshaw to home.
On March 13, he visited the clinic and had a blood test. He reported at Capital Hospital at about 12.30 pm on Saturday and his swab sample tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday night.
The patient is under treatment and his condition is stated to be stable.Railway sources said the coach in which the man travelled has been fumigated and disinfected.
Luckily, the coach was not further used as it was taken for routine maintenance on the day itself.
Meanwhile, five more samples were sent for tests on Monday. While three tested negative and reports of two are awaited. So far, 32 samples have been tested.
While eight districts in the state clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC to prevent mass congregation, the state government postponed Aadhaar registration till March 31 and examinations of Class I to Class IX and Class XI till further orders.
Housing and Urban Development department has directed all civic bodies to keep shelter houses, Kalyan Mandaps and other buildings ready so that those can be used as quarantine facilities when required.
129 persons had come in contact with the Italy-returned man including 76 passengers and 53 family, friends, neighbours and locals