Three suspected novel coronavirus cases at RML, patients kept under isolation: RML Medical Superintendent

New Delhi [India], 28 Jan, (ANI): Three persons have been kept under observation at an isolation ward of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here for suspected exposure to novel coronavirus, officials said here on Tuesday.

The patients are residents of Delhi and they have been kept under strict health monitoring and isolation for the medical treatment.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Meenakshi Bhardwaj, Medical Superintendent said: "All three patients are residents of Delhi-NCR. They all have revealed the history of returning back from China. They have come to the hospital for the medical treatment on their own after they faced some kind of respiratory illnesses. We are taking care of them and they are kept under the isolation."

All three patients are between the age group of 24 to 48 years.

"While one patient is a student, the other two have gone for the business work trip to China and returned," said Bhardwaj.

Dr Sujeet Singh, Director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) told ANI that all the suspected samples of coronavirus reported at RML, have been sent to National Institute of Virology (Pune).

"We are hoping that the report should come by tonight or else tomorrow morning," he said.

Speaking about preventive measures taken up by the hospital authorities, the Medical Superintendent said: "We have set up a dedicated isolation coronavirus isolation ward. Our team of doctors and nurses have been instructed to monitor such patients, if the need arises. Also, the centre is making all important actions for preventive measure. However, as of now, no positive case of coronavirus has been reported to us."

He also elaborated on preventive measures that can be adopted by people to safeguard themselves from such viruses.

"As a part of preventive measure against coronavirus infection, people are advised to cover their mouth with the mask, maintain a good standard of hand hygiene and should avoid travelling in crowded places. Any kind of fever, cough, cold and illness should be reported immediately to the nearest doctor," said Dr Bhardwaj.

The hospital preparedness with regard to management and infection prevention control facilities was reviewed during high-level meetings on Monday.

Following this, advisories, and IPC guidelines have been shared with the states and adequate stocks of logistics including PPE is available.

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has been conducting the thermal health screening of passengers arriving from China including Hong Kong to seven airports in India.

These airports include: Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata respectively. All seven identified airports have virus screening and prevention signage displayed boldly at the strategic locations.

This is being done as a preventive measure against the outbreak of deadly novel coronavirus Disease (nCoV) outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province of China where more than 2000 cases have been reported and the virus has claimed over 80 lives.