Mumbai: No new suspected cases of coronavirus were reported in Maharashtra on Saturday. The state and union governments are formulating a discharge policy for the duo who were quarantined but tested negative for the infection. However, the report of the third suspected patient is still pending.
Despite the two suspected patients being tested negative for coronavirus on Friday, the public health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not allowed the patients to go home until they form a discharge policy.
Dr Archana Patil, additional director of health services, State Family Welfare Bureau said they are following the instructions of the Union Health Ministry, whereby they have been still under observation. “For the first time we are facing this new strain of coronavirus. So we do not have the discharge policy in place. The duo would be under observation for the next three to four days. Once we decide on the parameters required for the discharge of suspected patients, they will be released,” she said.
However, there were no new cases reported at the hospital and the incubation period of the virus is around 12-14 days. So they have to check on the symptoms before declaring them ‘safe’. “If the expert panel decides to discharge them, we will keep track of them through telephone and home visits,” she added.
The third quarantined patient, 61, returned from Hong Kong on January 9 and developed cold-like symptoms. On Friday afternoon, he too was admitted at the hospital for observation and the state health department is yet to receive his report from NIV.
“We would mostly get the report of the third patient by Sunday afternoon. There is no need for panic and fear,” said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, BMC.
So far 26 people have succumbed to the infection, with 850 cases been reported in China. The incubation period for the coronavirus is 10-14 days.
WHO advisory to people travelling to China:
1. Clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based handrub after coughing or sneezing or when taking care of a sick person
2. Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow. Throw the used tissue into a closed bin immediately after use
3. Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
4. Thoroughly cook meat and eggs
5. No unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals
