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Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Tuesday said it has identified 14 people who have returned to the state from China and Thailand following the outbreak of the killer novel coronavirus (nCoV) but none have tested positive for it.
While 13 people returned to the state from China, only one came from Thailand, said Odisha director of medical education and training (DMET) Prof C B K Mohanty said.
Two medical students - one man and another woman who have returned from China have been admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack for fear that they may be infected.
"However, the swab and blood sample of the male medical student have tested negative and he will be discharged from SCB Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday. The government is waiting for the test report of the woman medical student, Mohanty said.
They were admitted to the medical facility after showing some symptoms akin to coronavirus.
The male medical student was admitted to SCBMCH on January 31 after his return from China on January 11.
He said the state government has suggested that 12 other persons who have returned from China and Thailand that they remain in home isolation for 14 days.
We are keeping a vigil on the health condition of the persons in home isolation, Mohanty said.
The Odisha government, he said, has decided to increase the number of beds in the special ward for nCoV suspected patients to 150.
The state government said that all preparations have been made to tackle the disease and all district hospitals are ready with at least five beds specially meant for the nCoV suspected patients.
Asked about the number of people from Odisha in China, Mohanty said The district collectors have been told to collect information about this. However, it may be difficult to get the exact data as people used to get a passport and visa from the central agencies. Therefore, the state government has little role in it. The Centre may help in getting the information.
Meanwhile, the administrations of Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts have already launched a public awareness programme informing people about coronavirus.
Puri town has been identified as sensitive as it is a tourist destination. Puri district chief medical officer Nilakantha Mishra has written to the hotel association asking hoteliers to inform the government about Chinese tourists or on persons who have returned from China, Thailand and other countries hit by the deadly disease.
We have formed a district-level task force in Puri to oversee the situation arising out of coronavirus disease, said Puri district public health officer Indira Kumari Mohapatra.
Kandhamal chief district medical officer Rajyashree Patnaik said the people are being made aware of the disease after a male medical student from China complained of cold and cough.
Meanwhile, Jagatsinghpur district collector Sangram K Mohapatra held a meeting with Paradip Port authorities and hostel owners to ensure that the coronavirus do not spread in the area.
The port township is vulnerable to the disease because a large number of cargo ships from China and other infected countries come to the port every day.
The school and mass education minister Samir Ranjan Dash said all the educational institutions in the state have been directed to immediately start treatment of students who develop cold, cough or running nose.
We have told the school authorities to follow the advisory of the health department in regard to coronavirus, the minister said.
(PTI)
