Two persons were on Wednesday admitted to separate hospitals in Odisha on suspicion of novel coronavirus, as the Chief Minister's Office reviewed the situation arising out of the outbreak of the disease, in the state.
Two high-level meetings on the coronavirus situation were also held during the day as the total number of people under observation in the state increased to 121 with the hospitalisation of the two fresh suspects.
Odisha Health Minister N K Das said so far no coronavirus case has been confirmed in the state though over 100 people, who returned to the state from COVID-19 hit countries, have been kept under observation.
Sources in the health department said a youth from Sonepur district who returned from Dubai on February 27 was admitted to special ward at VIMSAR in Burla of Sambalpur district on Wednesday after he developed cold and fever.
Another person of Keonjhar was admitted to the district headquarters hospital after showing similar symptoms. He had recently returned to Odisha from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The development comes a day after an Uttar Pradesh-based couple, who returned from China, was admitted at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for suspected novel coronavirus.
A cargo ship with 23 crew members, including the couple, had come from China and reached Paradip Port on March 1 via Hong Kong and Singapore.
While the chief medical officer reviewed the situation, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary N B Dhal presided over another meeting attended by the Director Medical Education and Training (DMET) and other senior officials.
"The Odisha health minister will soon write to the Union health minister seeking two coronavirus test facilities at RMRC in Bhubaneswar and SCB Hospital in Cuttack," an official said.
Presently, the samples collected from suspected coronavirus cases are being sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for confirmation. As it requires at least three days to get test reports, the state immediately requires its own facility, he said.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has issued an advisory asking employees and people in general to avoid mass gathering and wash hands regularly.
Updating on the condition of the couple, SCBMCH emergency services officer B N Maharana said, "The health condition of both the man and his wife is stable. We have collected the blood, swab and nasal liquid of the couple. The sample will be sent for examination and report is awaited in three days."
"While the man, a marine engineer, has some symptoms, his wife is perfectly alright," he said.
However, the samples have been collected from both of them and they have been put in the isolation ward meant for suspected coronavirus patients.
After taking stock of the situation at Lok Seva Bhavan, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary N B Dhal said the state government has taken all precautionary measures to tackle the situation.
"We follow all the guidelines issued by the health ministry and WHO," he said.
The state in its advisory to employees asked them to avoid hugging, shaking hands while greeting and keep their workplace clean to ward off coronavirus infection.
It also issued workplace advisory based on the containment plan prepared by the health ministry to tackle COVID-19.
"Surfaces (desks and tables) and objects (telephone, keyboards) need to be regularly wiped with disinfectant containing 70 per cent alcohol," it said.
Soaps or sanitizing hand rub should be provided near wash basins and water supply should be ensured as frequent hand washing kills the virus and prevents spread of
COVID-19, it said.
The staff should be advised home isolation whenever they develop flu-like symptoms, the advisory said.
"Please remember simple precautions and planning can make a big difference for containment of COVID-19. So it is the right time to prepare and protect all our countrymen," it added.
Employees should be asked to avoid crowded places like malls, markets, stations unless required, and maintain a safe distance from any person having cough and running nose.
The advisory also cautioned employers against sending employees to affected countries, unless urgent.
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