A 31-year-old Odisha man, who returned from Italy and later took a train from Delhi to Bhubaneswar reportedly to avoid scrutiny, has become the first coronavirus patient in the state, officials said.
Dr Ajit Mohanty, director of public health, said the man who works in an event management company had arrived in Delhi from Italy on March 6.
“Though he tested negative during the screening process at the airport, he was put in home quarantine as he travelled from Italy. He was advised home isolation for 14 days,” Dr Mohanty said.
However, the man travelled to Bhubaneswar by the Rajdhani Express on March 11 and reached Bhubaneswar on March 12. From the railway station, he took an auto-rickshaw to his home.
On March 13, he showed signs of flu and had a mild cough and went to a doctor. He was prescribed some medicines but did not get better.
He then went to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar on March 14 where his blood and swab samples were collected and sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar for confirmation of coronavirus.
The tests confirmed the presence of the virus in the man’s body.
The man has now been admitted to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, officials added.
They also said they have put the family of the infected man in-home quarantine as they are yet to show any signs of the infection.
“We have also sought the details of all the passengers who travelled with the youth in the coach of Rajdhani Express on March 11. We will advise them home quarantine,” said Dr Mohanty.
The Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on Monday ordered all shopping malls to shut down to stop the spread of coronavirus till March 31.
All passengers getting down at Bhubaneswar railway station will be also be screened from Monday.
Shutdowns
The Odisha government has already announced the closure of all educational institutions, except for holding examinations, swimming pools, gyms and cinemas across the state till March 31 and advised reasonable restrictions on public functions after declaring Covid-19 as a state disaster.
So far, 25 samples in Odisha have been tested for coronavirus of which 23 were found negative.
The reports of two samples including that of a minor girl from Lithuania are awaited. The girl, who is on a tour to Puri with her family, was admitted to the isolation ward at Puri District Headquarters Hospital after she displayed flu-like symptoms.
Five people, who recently returned from Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the US to Sonepur, have been kept under home isolation.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had declared Covid-19 as a state disaster on March 13 and asked people to practice frequent hand washing and adopt strict sanitation protocols while advising them not to panic.
The government has also imposed curbs on visits to major tourist places like Puri, Konark, Chilika and Chandrabhaga to prevent the spread of the virus.
In the famous Sri Jagannath temple, it asked the servitors or priests to wear masks during the conduct of rituals.
The pilgrims have been asked not to touch the idols and ensure a gap of at least two meters between them, said Shree Jagannath Temple chief administrator Dr Krishan Kumar.
Sarpanch of gram panchayats, ward members, corporators and councillors of urban bodies and office-bearers of resident welfare associations have been empowered to identify and refer suspected coronavirus cases to hospitals.
These officials will have to submit the details of all people in their area who travelled from abroad in the last 14 days to the block development officers or executive officers of respective municipalities.
