Bhubaneswar: Two persons were Wednesday admitted to separate hospitals in the state on suspicion of novel coronavirus, as the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) reviewed the situation arising out of the outbreak of the disease.
Two high-level meetings on the coronavirus situation were also held during the day as the total number of people under observation in Odisha state increasing to 121 with the hospitalisation of the two fresh suspects.
Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das said so far no coronavirus case has been confirmed in the state though over 100 people, who returned to the state from COVID-19 hit countries, have been kept under observation.
Sources in the health department said a youth from Sonepur district who returned from Dubai February 27 was admitted to special ward at VIMSAR in Burla of Sambalpur district Wednesday after he developed cold and fever.
Another person of Keonjhar was admitted to the district headquarters hospital after showing similar symptoms. He had recently returned to Odisha from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The development comes a day after an Uttar Pradesh-based couple, who returned from China, was admitted at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for suspected novel coronavirus.
While the chief medical officer reviewed the situation, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary NB Dhal presided over another meeting attended by the Director Medical Education and Training (DMET) and other senior officials.
“The Odisha Health Minister will soon write to the Union Health Minister seeking two coronavirus test facilities at RMRC in Bhubaneswar and SCB Hospital in Cuttack,” an official informed.
Presently, the samples collected from suspected coronavirus cases are being sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for confirmation. As it requires at least three days to receive the test reports, the state immediately requires its own facility, the official added.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government also issued an advisory asking people in general to avoid mass gathering and wash hands regularly.
Updating on the condition of the couple, SCBMCH emergency services officer BN Maharana said, “The health condition of both the man and his wife is stable. We have collected the blood, swab and nasal liquid of the couple. The sample will be sent for examination and report is awaited in three days.”
PNN & Agencies