BHUBANESWAR: The third Covid-19 positive case of Bhubaneswar has set the alarm bells ringing for Odisha Government as it may go the Bhilwara way transmitting infection to many who may have come in contact with him in the last fortnight.
The 60-year-old patient, chief manager of a public sector bank who is to retire on March 31, visited three hospitals in the city before being tested positive for novel coronavirus on Thursday.
Though the source of transmission is yet to be ascertained, he is believed to have come in direct contact with a positive patient at New Delhi airport.
Accompanied by his wife and daughter, he had left for Rewari in Haryana on March 7 and returned to Bhubaneswar via New Delhi.
They flew back in Indigo 6E 2014 (Seat No. 15 A, B and C) at about 10 pm on March 10. The man fell sick on March 13 and three days later, he visited Assembly dispensary to consult the medical officer who happens to be his friend. As his condition did not improve, he got admitted to a private clinic before being tested positive at Capital Hospital.
But neither did the medical officer of the dispensary nor the clinic management inform the health authorities despite repeated advisories issued by the State Government on the management of such suspects.
His medical officer friend, meanwhile, has been suspended by the Government.Chief spokesperson on Covid-19 Subroto Bagchi said the patient visited the Assembly dispensary on March 16 and since his fever did not subside, he reported at Kar Clinic OPD on March 21. “That day, he was sent back home after preliminary medication.
"But he was admitted to the clinic on March 23 after he developed pneumonia. He was in ICU for a day and brought to Capital Hospital the next day,” Bagchi said.
The bank manager also attended his office for three days after returning from Haryana. He met several persons, including his office staff.
Though he is still having fever and cough, his condition is stated to be stable. His wife, daughter and driver have been put under home isolation.
Sceptical over its fallout, Odisha Government on Friday warned that the third case may trigger community transmission as the patient and doctors treating him allegedly violated quarantine protocol putting lives of several people to risk.
The Health department has already started tracing his contacts.“We should be responsible while dealing with such cases.
"Any negligence may lead to a situation like South Korea where a woman (now famous as Patient 31) became a super transmitter by coming in contact with 1,160 persons,” Bagchi said.
At Bhilwara in Rajasthan, a Covid positive had visited five hospitals before he was found to be infected with the virus. The root of transmission was said to be a hospital where doctors treated several patients before testing positive themselves.