Coronavirus: Three discharged in Mumbai; 9 still under watch

Maharashtra health officials on Thursday discharged three patients quarantined at a hosptial here under suspicion of coronavirus infection after their second samples also tested negative for the deadly pathogen, an official said.

Also, two more patients were admitted in the hospital on Thursday on suspicion of their possible exposure to the coronavirus, whose outbreak was reported from Wuhan city of China, he said.

Three patients were discharged as their second samples also tested negative for the novel viral infection, said the official.

Since January 18, health officials have been screening passengers arriving at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here. Of the 4,846 passengers screened so far, 28 were under suspicion for possible infection.

 

"Out of these, 12 passengers complained of mild cough, fever and cold. Post-treatment and testing of their blood samples, not a single person was found infected with the deadly virus," said Dr Pradeep Awate, the state's disease surveillances officer.

"Officials decided to discharge three persons from Mumbai's civic-run Kasturba Hospital as their samples tested negative and they also did not report any unusual symptoms. At present, nine patients are under observation at three hospitals in the state," he said.

"Three patients are admitted in Mumbai (at Kasturba Hospital), five in Pune's Naidu Hospital and one in Nanded's civil hospital. Of the total 12 patients now, samples of eight have tested negative and the report of others will be out by Friday," said the doctor.

"Every passenger arriving from China and under scanner for possible exposure to the virus will be tracked for the next 28 days. We have asked the passengers to keep a track of their sickness, if any, and report to state officials if required," Awate said.

The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain and not seen before.

Common symptoms of the novel coronavirus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, according to the WHO.