BHUBANESWAR: One more person was tested positive for COVID-19 here on Thursday taking the tally
to three in Odisha.
The 60-year-old man from the city who had recently returned from New Delhi in a flight has been admitted to the isolation ward in Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
Sources said the person, a resident of a posh locality, here was brought to the hospital on Wednesday. His nasal and throat swab samples were sent to Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) for tests.
Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Nikunja Bihari Dhal confirmed that the man has been found to be positive for novel coronavirus. "Though he had no travel history to any foreign country, preliminary investigations revealed he had recently visited New Delhi and Haryana. His contract tracing has already commenced," he said.
What has pressed the panic button is that the sexagenarian, a bank employee, was admitted to the ICU in Kar Clinic, a private health care facility, here, before being shifted to Capital Hospital. He had also attended his office for three days after returning from New Delhi.
“The patient had returned to Bhubaneswar from New Delhi by an Indigo flight at about 7 pm on March 10. He was admitted to Kar Clinic on March 24 and was in ICU for a day. Earlier, he had also visited the OPD of the clinic on March 21,” the sources said.
Basing on his contact history, the Health Department has urged people not to visit the clinic for both outpatient and inpatient care. The management of the clinic has been asked to take all possible measures to isolate its doctors, nurses and all who had attended the patient and come in the contact of the patient.
Meanwhile, Odisha Government has warned all private hospitals of stringent action for non-compliance of regulations. Despite repeated advisories, some private health care facilities were found not complying with COVID-19 Regulations. They have been directed to act responsibly.
Earlier, two positive cases were reported from Bhubaneswar. While the two patients, one admitted to Capital Hospital and another to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, are recovering fast, 34 other suspects have been kept in isolation in different hospitals.
So far, 189 samples, including 25 on Thursday, have been tested. The State health authorities are keeping a track on over 84,000 persons who have recently returned from various COVID-19 affected States in the country, besides 4,249 foreign-returned.
"Since some of them might be carrying the infection, panchayat leaders, district officials and authorities in the urban local bodies have been asked to keep a close watch on them and ensure that they are in home quarantine," chief spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said.