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Four new Covid-19 cases in Nagpur, 1 in Gondia
Another case of Covid-19 was also reported from neighbouring Gondia. The sample of the person, who has a history of foreign travel, was sent to Nagpur’s Mayo Hospital for testing and found positive on Friday morning.
The number of Covid-19 cases continued to surge in Nagpur after four more people tested positive for the infection, taking the total coronavirus cases to nine in the Maharashtra city, officials said on Friday.
Another case of Covid-19 was also reported from neighbouring Gondia. The sample of the person, who has a history of foreign travel, was sent to Nagpur’s Mayo Hospital for testing and found positive on Friday morning.
With these new cases, there are 14 Covid-19 patients cases so far in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Ravindra Thakre, Nagpur’s district collector, said of them, nine are in Nagpur, four in Yavatmal and now one from Gondia.
The four people, including two women, in Nagpur tested positive after they contracted the infection from an already positive patient, who returned from Delhi by a train on March 18.
Thakre said the 43-year-old businessman from Khamla area in west Nagpur locality, who returned from Delhi, tested positive for the coronavirus disease on Thursday. He had complained of fever and cough after coming back from the national capital.
His wife, brother, mother and a business friend are among the new cases in the city. The business friend had also returned along with him from Delhi by a train on March 18. All have been admitted to the government-run Mayo General Hospital.
Officials said the new cases are a major cause of worry as they feel it could be an indication of community spread of the coronavirus disease. The first person to contract Covid-19 had returned from the US.
According to sources, the Khamla businessman visited a hospital run by Nagpur Municipal Corporation but was refused treatment. He remained at home for two more days.
During the period, his family members too developed symptoms. Finally, he approached Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (Mayo General Hospital) on Wednesday night.
His throat swab sample was taken and sent to the laboratory on Thursday morning along with 24 other samples. Out of which, 23 samples tested negative but that of the businessman was positive.
Nagpur’s first coronavirus patient, an IT professional who returned from the US, has been found negative for the infection following a fresh test and he will soon be discharged from the hospital.
Dr Sajal Mitra, the dean of government-run Medical College and Hospital, said all remaining positive cases have been under isolation and are stable. Close contacts of these cases have also been put under quarantine and surveillance, he added.
Dr Vikas Mahatme, the BJP’s Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra, has given Rs 50 lakh from his MP fund for the year 2019-20, for battle the against Covid-19 outbreak. Dr Mahatme sent a letter to the district administration on Thursday in this regard.
Dr Mahatme asked the district administration to cancel his proposals under MP fund given previously and approve the new one.
He has asked for the money to be used to provide Hazmat (hazardous materials) suits to health workers treating Covid-19 patients and suspects. He has also proposed to utilise his funds to buy face masks, personal protection equipment, sanitiser, coronavirus testing kit etc.
