Bhubaneswar: In the wake of first coronavirus detected in India, the state government is closely monitoring two persons who had visited China last month and returned to Odisha, Wednesday.
Union Cabinet Secretary Thursday reviewed the situation with health secretaries of all states on coronavirus through videoconferencing. Briefing media persons after the meeting, Health and Family Welfare secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal said that there was no Odisha specific issue.
Two passengers, who reached here on Malaysia flight Wednesday, have given a self-declaration that they had visited China last month. “We have taken note of their details including name and address etc. We are in contact with them. Since they were asymptomatic we have advised them for home isolation. Our health team will get in touch with them on a daily basis,” he stated.
During the meeting, Dhal told the Centre that the state is sufficiently prepared to tackle possible contingent. The state is following all advisories issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the secretary said.
The meeting decided that any person who has visited Wuhan city of China in the last 14 days and has symptoms will be isolated. In the event of anyone being asymptomatic he/she will be advised for home isolation but the blood sample will be drawn and sent to NIV (National Institute of Virology) Pune.
In Odisha, blood samples can be collected at SCB Medical College & Hospital and Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar.