2 Italians in self-quarantine in Jamshedpur, 4 foreign medical students advised to return
Two Italian citizens were advised self-quarantine in their rooms at a city hotel while four foreign students were sent back to their countries from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMCH) here in Jamshedpur on Wednesday in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said here on Wednesday.
“We have advised the two Italian citizens self-quarantine in their hotel rooms for next 14 day and their throat swabs have been sent to MGMC-based Virus Research and Development Laboratory (VRDL) for confirmatory testing as a precautionary measure. Preliminary screening late last night found no symptom of corona in both the Italians. They had reached India on January 3 and have been touring the country since then and reached here yesterday after visiting Chennai, Shillong and other cities,” said Ravishankar Shukla, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner.
Passport verification of both the Italians revealed that they first reached Chennai and then moved to other cities. They have been kept in isolation under the observation of the health department team and district civil surgeon Dr Maheshwar Prasad was monitoring the situation round the clock.
Italy has the highest casualty due to coronavirus outbreak after China and has so far reported 2,503 deaths against 31,506 registered cases of coronavirus infection as on Tuesday. However, 2,941 such patients have, however, recovered in Italy during the period.
The matter came to fore on Tuesday evening when the two Italians approached a leading hotel under Bistupur police station area seeking two rooms and a banquet hall for hosting a marriage ceremony and party. “The hotel authorities informed me immediately and I directed the DC and the civil surgeon to take care of the situation,” said Banna Gupta, Jharkhand health minister.
As per available information, the Italians reached Jamshedpur on Tuesday and tried to books rooms in several hotels in Sakchi but were denied accommodation. Finally, they approached the hotel in Bistupur. They have come here to marry a city-based girl from posh Sonari locality.
Meanwhile, MGMCH principal Dr Prashant Kumar Barla confirmed that at least four foreigner students studying in MGMMC have been asked to return to their countries in view of the present situation.
“Farzana Islam and Sugandha Rani Gupta from Bangladesh of 2016-17 MBBS batch and Puja Yadav and Snigdha from Nepal of 2017-18 MBBS batch have been asked to return to their countries as classes have been suspended in view of corona pandemic. However, some students may leave after completion of their ongoing examinations,” said Dr NK Sinha, MGMMCH dean (students).