Six Agraites found with ‘high viral load’ as UP searches for 150 people
LUCKNOW : The Uttar Pradesh health department is tracking over 150 people who had come in the ‘chain of contact’ with the Delhi resident who tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.
Six samples of suspected cases from Agra were sent to the Pune laboratory for coronavirus confirmation ‘as high viral load’ was found during the test at King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, said Dr Mithlesh Chaturvedi, director, vector borne diseases, Uttar Pradesh.
“The Delhi resident, who tested positive, had returned from a foreign trip on February 26 and with him were two residents of Agra. We have isolated the two, and 11 of their family members, and their samples were sent for lab test,” said Chaturvedi.
The names of the two Agra residents were notified by the union government and the rapid response team (RRT), he said.
“Samples of these two people, and 11 of their family members, were sent for lab test, out of which six samples reported ‘high viral load’. The same have been sent for confirmation to the Pune lab,” Chaturvedi said.
Also the six Agra residents, all from the same family, were referred to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on Tuesday morning. Of these six persons, two are brothers, both footwear traders, who had visited Italy on a business trip recently. One of their relatives, who went along with
them, is said to be the person who tested positive in Delhi.
“With coronovirus scare turning real, those coming from countries such as Dubai and Italy are being watched. We got information about 13 members of the family from which two brothers had gone to Italy recently. Samples were taken of all 13 family members, including those who came in contact with these brothers,” said Agra chief medical officer Dr Mukesh Vats on Tuesday.
“Six out of these 13 had symptoms of coronavirus and thus considering them highly suspicious cases, all six were referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. Remaining seven has been quarantined at their residence,” the CMO added. An Agra doctor, who treated the six patients initially, has also been advised isolation.
While UP health minister Jai Pratap Singh said the state was alert to the issue and capable of tackling any emergency situation, minister for medical health Suresh Khanna said 10-bed isolation wards had been set up in all government hospitals.
Explaining the chain of suspected spread of the virus, Chaturvedi said the Delhi resident, who tested positive, had attended a party in which two families from Noida were present and so the samples of six of them were also taken and sent to the lab. He said apart from these families, a co-worker (of the Delhi resident, who tested positive) from Bulandshahr had also been isolated and his samples sent for lab test.
“Now we are tracking all those people who came in contact with the Delhi resident (who tested positive). The list consists of about 150 people who came in contact with the Delhi resident. Whether he went to office or temple, met some relative, and all other places he visited, we are contacting people over telephone and recording their health status,” said Chaturvedi.
The health teams are tracking even those who have met or stayed with the people who (first) came in contact with the man admitted in Delhi. Phone calls are being made to check their health status every day till 28 days of observation period is over, he said.
“Teams have been instructed to advise people to visit a hospital if anyone among them tells they fever, chest pain or any other health problem. This should also ensure that none of them move around with the illness,” said Chaturvedi.
“If required they will be isolated at home or admitted to hospital,” said Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, state surveillance officer in the Uttar Pradesh health department.
“A check-up desk was also set up at the airport on January 24,” said Dr Narendra Agrawal, chief medical officer, Lucknow.
In the entire state, 137 samples had been sent to the Pune lab and of them 109 have tested negative. Results of 28 are awaited, including the six samples of Agra.