Rajasthan doctor under watch for coronavirus symptoms, says health dept

So far 11 people, who have been to Chinese cities are under quarantine, of which four have tested negative for a novel coronavirus infection. Two more samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune on Saturday.

A doctor who returned to Rajasthan from China was suspected to have contracted the coronavirus, a statement from the state health department said on Sunday

Travellers, wearing masks as a precautionary measure to avoid contracting coronavirus, arrive on a flight from China at Guarulhos International Airport in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. (REUTERS)

“The state health minister Dr Raghu Sharma directed the SMS medical college administration to keep the doctor who has returned from China after completing his MBBS and is suspected to be infected with the coronavirus, in isolation and to screen his family members,” the statement, which HT has seen, said.

The state health minister also directed that the suspected patient’s blood sample be taken and sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, the health department statement added

Meanwhile, a day after two suspected coronavirus-infected patients tested negative for the infection, the report of the third quarantined patient at Mumbai’s Kasturba Gandhi Hospital also came out as negative on Sunday, according to health officers.

“We haven’t got the report in hand which requires a series of formalities, but the institute informed us on Sunday that the third report has also being found to be negative. These reports would also be submitted to the central health department for their observation,” said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

BMC has kept three people on observation through telephonic follow up who landed in Mumbai on Sunday after visiting China, officials familair with the matter said on condition of anonymity.