US tourist walks out of isolation ward in Chandigarh, put back in quarantine

After travelling through Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, mostly on a bicycle, he visited the Emergency at the PGIMER on Sunday with flu-like symptoms

The latest suspected coronavirus case in Chandigarh is of a middle-aged male tourist from the United States who landed in Delhi on February 19.

HT Image

After travelling through the region, mostly on a bicycle, he reported to the Emergency of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Sunday with flu-like symptoms.

However, after being admitted in the isolation ward, he left the premises, said PGIMER officials. Later, a team from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, Chandigarh, tracked him down and he was taken to Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16.

“He was counselled and has been shifted to the isolation ward of GMSH for further assessment. His samples have been sent for testing,” said a senior health official, not wishing to be named.

Two test negative

Meanwhile, a middle-aged woman from Zirakpur with travel history to Dubai was also admitted to the isolation ward of GMSH on Saturday night. However, her test reports came negative on Sunday. A senior citizen with travel history to Bhutan, who was quarantined in Panchkula on Saturday, has also tested negative for Covid-19.