Odisha reports first COVID-19 confirmed case as Italy returned youth tests positive

Bhubaneswar: Amidst novel coronavirus (COVID-19) scare, panic gripped Odisha as a youth returned from Italy tested positive for the deadly virus in Bhubaneswar.

The youth infected with COVID-19 is currently undergoing treatment at the Capital Hospital.

The Italy-return patient admitted to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar has been tested positive for coronavirus, confirmed COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi today.

“The 33-year-old youth was doing research in Italy. He had returned to India on March 6. He reached Bhubaneswar on March 12 by a train. He consulted a private doctor on March 13 and was admitted to the Capital Hospital on March 14. On March 15 night, we got the report that he has tested positive,” Bagchi said.

“However, there is good news that the patient does not have other complications so far. His health condition is now stable,” he told media.

Following the incident, the state government has continued contact tracing.

“We have made arrangements to track the persons with whom the patient had come in contact in Delhi and Bhubaneswar during those period as well as the passengers, who were in the boggie of the train in which he had travelled to Bhubaneswar from the national capital,” he said.

Necessary steps will be taken by the state government after tracking those persons, Bagchi added.

He urged media not to run after bytes for extensive coverage on coronavirus cases that may create panic in society.

Reliable source said that the youth is a resident of Bhubaneswar. He was quarantined in Delhi for a few days after screening at airport. As no symptoms of coronavirus was detected in him, he was allowed to return to home in Bhubaneswar.

On March 12, he had arrived at Bhubaneswar in a train. However, he consulted a doctor here after he suffered from cold and fever. Even after consuming medicines prescribed by the doctors for flu like symptoms, he did not recover from illness.

On Saturday, the patient had visited the Capital Hospital for treatment. After the doctors found some symptoms of coronavirus in his body, he was immediately put in isolation ward. The doctors attending to him sent his blood and swab sample to the RMRC, Bhubaneswar, for examination. The report confirmed him positive for COVID-19, the source said.

Following the test report, a special team of Health & Family Welfare Department of Odisha rushed to the hospital and discussed to tackle the situation.

However, the health condition of patient is stated to be stable. As he had stayed at home with family between March 12 and 14, his father and domestic help have been asked to put themselves under home quarantine.

Sources said that the passengers of particular compartment of the train in which the patient had travelled from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar may undergo medical examination. Besides, in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the screening will be conducted on the passengers alighting at Bhubaneswar Railway Station from today.