Two with travel history to coronavirus-hit countries flee from Jammu hospital, brought back

Twopeople, who had a travel history to coronavirus-hit Italy and South Korea, fledfrom a Jammu-based government hospital’s isolation ward, but were brought back,officials said on Thursday.

They were admitted to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Sampleswere taken and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, theysaid.

   

There was adequate hospital security outside the isolation ward,but relatives of one of the persons “forcefully” took their patientwith them after which the other also fled, a senior GMCH official said.

They “fled” late Wednesday night, the official said.

The two persons were brought back and admitted to the GMCH onThursday, Dr Shafqat Khan, who has been nominated by the government as thenodal officer for coronavirus prevention in Jammu and Kashmir, told PTI.

If the samples taken from them test positive of coronavirus,they will be quarantined, officials said, adding that no positive cases of thevirus have been found in the Union Territory.

Symptomatic people have been instructed for home quarantine,they said.

The number of coronavirus cases in India is 29, including 16Italians, the government has said, adding all international passengers will nowbe screened at airports, amid growing concern over the spread of therespiratory infection.

People have been advised not to panic as there is no truth inthe information being circulated on social media about the death of one personin the Union Territory, the officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir has been put on alert to deal with any threatemerging due to coronavirus, they said.

“People are urged not to give ear to rumours. There isnothing to panic,” Khan said.

Officials said around 200 people who have travel history tocoronavirus-affected countries or had contact with people from such countrieshave been identified.

Twenty-one suspected cases have been tested till date and”no positive case has been reported so far across J-K”, a seniorofficial said.

He said a “100 per cent self-declaration at the airports ofJammu and Srinagar will start from Thursday to trace any such person havingtravel history to the affected countries.”

“Further, check points for passengers travelling by roadhave been set up at Lakhanpur and Lower Munda (Zig) to identify individualswith travel history to these countries,” the official said.

Financial Secretary in the Health Department Atul Dullooreviewed arrangements at the GMCH during a visit to the hospital.

Round-the-clock data control centres have been established atSrinagar and Jammu to receive information on travellers coming fromcoronavirus-affected countries, Principal Secretary for Planning andInformation Rohit Kansal said.

He added that all suspected cases are being managed as perprotocols.

The government on Thursday appointed officers to ramp up effortsfor prevention of novel coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bhupinder Kumar, Mission Director, National Health Mission(NHM), J&K, will be the overall in-charge of the coronavirus controlefforts in the Union Territory, according to an order.

Kumar will work under the supervision of the financialcommissioner of the health department

The order also states thatShafqat Khan will work under the supervision of the mission director.

Divisional commissioners,deputy commissioners and chief medical officers will be in-charge of theirrespective areas, as per the order.

They will ensure detection at airports and railway stations, andtake steps to create adequate facilities for isolation of suspected cases.

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