A third case of COVID-19 caused by coronavirus was confirmed in Telangana on Sunday. The patient is a 48-year-old man who returned from the Netherlands a few days ago and got admitted into Gandhi Hospital on March 11. His samples sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune tested positive for the virus. Another sample, collected from an air hostess tested negative at NIV Pune.
According to statistics presented by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the three positive cases from the State include the one who was discharged. The index (first) case from here was discharged on Friday night after recovering completely.
From Sunday morning, the Health Department’s District Rapid Response Teams (RRT) started the task of tracking all the people the third COVID-19 patient came in contact with by speaking to the person and his family members. Apart from three from his immediate family, nine more people, including extended family members, were isolated at Gandhi Hospital.
Precautionary test
Their swab samples would be tested for presence of the virus as a precautionary measure. Officials from the department said that the process of tracing all contacts was going on.
Officials said that widespread awareness about symptoms and helpline number ‘104’ is working effectively as the person had dialled the number after developing fever.
In case of the second positive case, a 24-year-old woman who returned from Italy, at least 28 people were identified as having come in contact with the patient. That includes three family members, and around nine people from a private hospital where she consulted after developing symptoms.
Home isolation
While the family members were admitted at the government hospital, the remaining 25 are under home isolation whose condition will be monitored for 14-days.
“She was at the private hospital for a short while. After knowing her travel history and symptoms, doctors immediately contacted the Health Department,” officials said, adding that anxiety among her neighbours were quelled by explaining them how coronavirus spreads, why would they be not at risk and other details. The second and third case are undergoing treatment at State-run facilities.