First suspected case of Coronavirus in Kulgam quarantined

70-year-old woman has returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, She has been kept in isolation and is stable: Principal GMC Anantnag

Anantnag: A patient with symptoms related to Coronavirus has been admitted in isolation ward at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag where the patient was shifted from district hospital Kulgam.

A 70-yeaer-old woman, who had a travel history of Saudi Arabia where she had gone to perform Umrah developed some symptoms related to Covid-19 and was immediately referred to GMC Anantnag. “She is from Kulgam,” said Chief Medical Officer Kulgam, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Shah.

He said that doctors have taken the samples of patient and same have been forwarded to the laboratory for the screening. “It will take two three days to get her reports till then she will be treated here,” he said.

Principal GMC Anantnag Dr Showkat Jeelani also confirmed to KNO that a patient with very little symptoms of Coronavirus who has a travel history of Saudi Arabia has been kept in an isolation ward at GMC Anantnag.

“Nothing is clear of as of now. As a precautionary measure, we have kept her in an isolation ward where she has been quarantined till her reports come,” he said. “There is no need to be panic however general public must avoid visiting crowded places unnecessarily.”

Although no positive cases of Coronavirus have been reported so far in Kashmir, officials said that staff is trained and well- prepared to deal with the deadly virus that has claimed around 4500 lives across the globe so far and affected over 1.5 lakh people.

Meanwhile, in an official statement issue here, the government said that that 159 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period and, so far, only two cases have been tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus (COVID-19), 1743 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance while as 1485 persons are under home quarantine.

“Persons who are in hospital quarantine stand at 18 and 81 persons are under home surveillance,” the official spokesman said. Further, the Bulletin said that 85 samples have been sent for testing, of which 77 tested as negative and only two cases have tested positive, so far while as reports of six cases are awaited. The spokesman further said that as per the latest travel advisory issued by the Central Government, all travellers having travel history to coronavirus affected countries are advised to undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival—(KNO)