Chandigarh’s first Covid-19 patient stable, four of her immediate contacts quarantined

UT adviser says hospitals, OPDs in Chandigarh have been partially closed with immediate effect

CHANDIGARH: A day after the Union Territory of Chandigarh reported its first case of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), UT adviser Manoj Kumar Parida on Thursday said that four immediate contacts and two domestic helps of the 23-year-old woman who returned from England recently have been quarantined.

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Addressing a press conference here, Parida said, “The four immediate contacts of the confirmed patient, comprising two family members and two domestic helps, have been quarantined. They will be tested if they develop symptoms. Contact tracing has been initiated in the case. All those who came in her contact are being traced.”

Confirming that the condition of the patients was stable, he clarified that no geographical lockdown has been initiated as of now.

The woman, a resident of Sector 21, Chandigarh, is admitted at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.

OPDs PARTIALLY CLOSED

All hospitals and outpatient departments (OPDs) in Chandigarh have been partially closed with immediate effect.

Parida announced that the gynaecology, paediatrics, emergency, trauma, medicine OPDs are open, while the rest have been shut. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has restricted the timings for the registration of OPD cases.

“All scheduled surgeries have been postponed except gynaecology, paediatrics and trauma cases,” he said.

QUARANTINE FACILITIES

Hotel Park View in Sector 24, Panchayat Bhawan in Sector 18 and the Infosys Foundation Red Cross Sarai on the PGIMER campus have been declared quarantine facilities if cases of Covid-19 spike.

TEACHERS BEING TRAINED

The UT adviser said that teachers will be given training for managing coronavirus patients. A decision on their attending school will be taken later on Thursday.

CTU BUSES CONTINUE TO PLY

There is no bar on the entry of inter-state buses to Chandigarh. Buses of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking are also plying as usual for now.

Instructions have been issued to keep adequate distancing between passengers to prevent the spread of the disease. Sanitisation of buses is going on, Parida said.

MARKETS BEING SANITISED, TOO

The sanitisation of all markets in Chandigarh has been started and no market has been closed for now, the adviser said.

Apni mandis or weekly vegetable markets will continue to operate, he said, adding that there will be no retail selling in the Grain Market of Sector 26, Chandigarh.

SANITISERS AND MASKS

“If required, the prices of sanitisers and masks will be fixed. Fifty raids have been conducted to ensure that the availability and proper pricing of the supply,” Parida said.

SPORTS COMPLEX SHUT

All sports compelex, private and public, have been shut down in Chandigarh as a precautionary measure.