Three more tested positive taking the total number to 7 in Kolkata
Kolkata: Three more tested positive for Coronavirus on Sunday taking the total number of affected victims to seven in the state so far. The parents and the attendant of Ballygunge Panditiya Road youth who was the second victim of corona ion the state had also tested positive. All the three patients have been kept at the special isolation ward of Beliaghata ID.
The health condition of three affected patients admitted in the special isolation of the Beliaghata ID Hospital earlier are stated to be stable now while the 57-year-old Dum Dum resident who tested positive on Saturday evening and admitted to a private hospital in Salt Lake is under ventilation. He had some complications in the past. He along with his family members went to Bilaspur in Chattishgarh on February 26. They returned to the city in 2 tier of Azad Hind Express on March 2. Health department officials are trying to identify the people whom the victim had met after his return home. His family members were taken to MR Bangur for check up on Sunday.
In another development, despite a 'self proclaimed curfew' by the people in the state with the vehicles hardly plying, a huge number of patients thronged the emergency ward of the Beliaghata ID, the only nodal hospital in the state for COVID – 19 to get themselves checked.
Like other days, the hospital on Sunday witnessed an influx of fear stricken patients who claimed to have shown suspected symptoms. During the morning the queue outside the emergency ward was little less but as day progressed people started flocking in from various parts of the city fighting all odds.
Ever since the Coronavirus made its mark in the state, the length of the queue outside the hospital started getting bigger in size. Most of them were however let off after preliminary treatment while some have been admitted with suspected symptoms. Many of those who had returned to the city from abroad had visited the hospital for check up while many others who intend to go abroad have been visiting the hospital for the fit certificate. Many local people are also visiting the hospital as they complaint similar symptoms.
A seven member medical board has been formed to treat the suspected patients at the emergency ward of the hospital. The doctors are taking the details of the patients if they had visited abroad. If someone is suspected to develop the symptoms they have been asked to remain under quarantine. Beliaghata ID Hospital has started using the public address system to aware people not to get panicked and visit the hospital unless they complaint similar symptoms. On an average basis 9-11 swab samples of patients from across the state are being sent for tests in NICED and SSKM daily basis.
According to the health department data, as many as 80063 travellers/persons have been screened at Kolkata and bagdogra airport and 516979 persons have been screened at seven land border check points along Nepal and Bangladesh. Around 4964 crew members of ships have undergone screening at three ports.
Till March 22, around 22725 travellers from the COVID – 19 affected countries have been identified and placed under surveillance. For 616 of them the surveillance period has been over. Around 40 are admitted in the isolation facilities till Sunday. The remaining 20745 are under home surveillance. Till date the samples were collected from 128 suspects for tests of COVID – 19 and the results of 107 persons were negative. Four persons have tested positive so far. Lab results of 17 suspects are awaited.
