46-yr-old man from Janakpuri is fifth to get Covid-19 in capital

The new patient is currently at an isolation ward at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital; 8 members of his family have been asked to remain in home quarantine

NEW DELHI: A 46-year-old man from Janakpuri has become the fifth person from the city to test positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19), according to data shared by the Delhi government. The man had travelled to Italy, Japan and Geneva recently.

The novel coronavirus was first reported in China’s Wuhan city on December 31, 2019. Since then, the virus has spread to several countries across the world. The outbreak has killed more than 4,300 people and spread across more than 90 nations.

Both Italy and Japan are on India’s list of high-risk countries, with Italy having reported over 10,000 cases and 631 deaths and Japan having reported 639 cases and 15 deaths.

The new patient is currently in an isolation ward at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, one of the two nodal centres for Covid-19 in Delhi. Eight members of his family, who did not show any symptom, have been asked to remain in home quarantine. His mother is the only one with symptoms of the virus infection.

A survey of 50 homes nearby to the man’s was also taken up to ascertain who all had come in contact with the Covid-19 positive patient and whether any of them showed symptoms of 5the disease.

Apart from the five people who tested positive in Delhi, there are 48 other symptomatic people in the isolation wards of these two hospitals, according to the government. Of them, 31 are in Safdarjung hospital and 17 at RML.

The government has also asked 155 others, with travel history who might get the infection, to remain in home quarantine.

Doctors and healthcare workers from the Delhi government’s integrated disease surveillance programme cell, chief district medical officer’s office, and the dispensaries will constantly stay in touch with those in quarantine for 14 days to see if they develop any symptoms.

These officials have also been working to trace people that these five came in contact with before being admitted to isolation facilities.

So far, they have been able to trace 105 contacts for the first case – the 45-year-old man from Mayur Vihar. Officials were also able to trace 171 people who came in contact with the 27-year-old male patient from Uttam Nagar. The cousin of his wife tested positive for the disease.

Another case was reported from Uttam Nagar as well.

Apart from the two nodal hospitals, Delhi government has asked 25 other hospitals — 19 government-run and six private — that usually treat H1N1 patients to start isolation wards, thereby adding 230 beds to the existing number set aside for Covid-19 patients. “More can be arranged if needed,” Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain had said.

The government has also started sanitising buses and metro trains.

The government is also carrying out awareness drives in vulnerable places such as the JJ clusters, unauthorised colonies, bus, Metro and railway stations.

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We are trying to trace people who came in contact with the Delhi patients... All the people, once traced, will need a 14-day home quarantine and training in hygiene to avoid spreading the infection.

A SENIOR NORTH DELHI MUNICIPALITY OFFICER