KAKINADA/VIJAYAWADA/ELURU/VISAKHAPATNAM: At least 11 people, including one from South Korea and some from the Gulf, have been kept in isolation in various hospitals across the State after they were suspected to have shown symptoms of coronavirus. All of them had been abroad in the last two weeks and were screened on arrival in India. Medical reports are awaited to confirm if they have been infected.
Their samples had to be sent to Hyderabad for testing, and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has told officials to purchase equipment to perform such tests in the State.
In East Godavari district, an anonymous late-night call made to the State helpline led to the isolation of a software engineer who returned from Seoul in South Korea. South Korea has recorded more than 5,300 coronavirus cases and 32 deaths.
Officials said they received the call from Vadapalem in Kothapet mandal alerting them about the techie, who had a cold and cough. The 35-year old landed in Delhi on February 22, and went to Hyderabad for five days. He reached his native place on February 29, and from Vadapalem, went to his in-laws’ house in Godasivaripalem in Mumadivaram mandal.
After receiving the call, health officials swooped down on the village, where they unsuccessfully searched for the techie. They then went to Godasivaripalem, found him, and performed medical tests. He was shifted to the Kakinada Government General Hospital and kept in isolation.
District Collector D Muralidhar Reddy, Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi and medical and health officials rushed to the hospital to take stock of the situation and the facilities available. Muralidhar Reddy said the patient is showing no signs of coronavirus, but will be kept in isolation till the test results confirm the same.
Medical and health officials are implementing mandatory safety measures in both villages the techie visited, the Collector said, adding that the house he stayed in has been isolated and residents of the village are being checked for symptoms such as cold and cough.
Meanwhile, eight people suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms were isolated in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts on Wednesday. Five cases were reported in Visakhapatnam and three in Srikakulam district.
Of the five in Visakhapatnam, three persons hail from the same family. They arrived from Malaysia on Tuesday night and had also visited Singapore recently. They were taken directly from the airport to the isolation ward at Chest (ID) Hospital.
The other two persons, including a woman from Gajuwaka, arrived from Bahrain 10 days ago and complained of cold and cough on Wednesday. They too were shifted to the hospital’s isolation ward, State nodal officer for COVID-19 K Rambabu said.
Meanwhile, three persons from Kanchili were admitted to the isolation ward at Srikakulam government hospital. They returned from Dubai a week ago, and complained of cold and cough.
Two persons under watch in Eluru
Similarly, two persons were placed in isolation at the Eluru government hospital after one of them returned from Muscat a few days ago and was staying in his uncle’s house in Pentapadu mandal. Both of them developed a cold and cough.
In Vijayawada, a 42-year-old man who returned from Germany and visited Hyderabad was isolated in the Government General Hospital.