Telangana recorded its fifth case of coronavirus on Tuesday. An Indonesian national is the latest person to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the pandemic.
The Indonesian man was reportedly a part of a group of ten who were on a visit to Karimnagar district of Telangana. He was shifted to the state-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad for screening after he showed symptoms of the coronavirus. Officials said three others accompanying the group of Indonesians are also being kept under observation.
The Health Department officials in Karimnagar district became alert after learning about the presence of Indonesians, who had arrived along with three Indians by train from Delhi. They were in the town to attend a religious programme and were staying at a mosque.
The group was taken to the government-run hospital in the town and after one of them showed suspected symptoms like cough, cold and fever, they were all brought to Hyderabad and kept at Gandhi Hospital.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday evening, Health Minister Eatala Rajender said, “So far, the five coronavirus positive patients, including the one who has been discharged, had a travel history of Dubai, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland and Indonesia.”
Speaking about their alertness and preparedness, he said, “We have been holding video conferences with Collectors and District Medical Health Officers everyday. We are ensuring that each district is monitored. We are ready to even convert several buildings in the districts into quarantine centres. But those lodged in quarantine centres will not all be patients. Even asymptomatic people are being kept under observation for 14 days. I request the people, especially around the quarantine centre in Vikarabad not to panic.”
The Health Minister said, "Besides Gandhi Hospital and Osmania Hospital, we are adding four more labs where tests can be conducted. We have received permission for the same and are sending kits to Warangal MGM Hospital, Fever Hospital Nallakunta and Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) in Hyderabad. So in Telangana alone, now six places are there where we can conduct tests."
Speaking about contact tracing, Eatala said that 42 contacts of the second patient, who landed in Hyderabad and went to her hometown in Khammam were traced. “They all tested negative. Sixty-nine persons who came in contact with the third patient who arrived from the Netherlands and 11 people who were in contact with the fourth patient from Scotland also tested negative. With regard to the fifth and latest patient, contact tracing is underway."
Telangana reported its fourth COVID-19 positive case on Monday. While the first patient was discharged last week, three others were under treatment at Gandhi Hospital.
With IANS inputs