The sixth case of COVID-19 was detected in Telangana on Wednesday. The patient is a 21-year-old youngster who returned to Hyderabad from Scotland in the early hours of March 16. He spent the entire day at home with three family members and developed cough, fever the next day. The youth got admitted to Gandhi Hospital on Tuesday. The State Health staff are trying to track all people he came into contact with.
Of the six cases from the State, the index (first) case was discharged last week. The remaining five patients are undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital. Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender said that no one among the current patients have health complications such as pneumonia or multi organ failure.
The second patient is a 24-year-old woman who returned from Italy, third is a 48-year-old man who has travel history to the Netherlands, fourth is a man in mid 40s who returned from Scotland and fifth is a 58-year-old Indonesian.
The case of the fifth patient is a matter of great concern. The Indonesian is a preacher and he travelled with a team of nine people, all from his country for preaching. He got on to the AP Sampark Kranti Express (Train No. 12708) on March 13 (7.15 a.m.) and reached Ramagundem at 5.10 a.m. on March 14. A total of 82 people travelled in the non-air conditioned sleeper coach including him.
Informed Railway sources said that the COVID-19 patient already had flu symptoms when he got into train, which seem to have only worsened after he reached Karimnagar by road from Ramagundem. Mr Rajender said the patient stayed in a mosque in the town for two days . He was confirmed COVID-19 positive on Tuesday. Mr Rajender said that test results of samples collected from the remaining nine Indonesians were awaited.
The Health Minister said passengers in the coach who had travelled more than 1,400 km with the Indonesian team have been identified. The health staff is tracking people from Telangana and they will be isolated soon. “We have identified the people they had food with. The district Collector and Police Commissioner had a meeting with Health department officials. They are taking measures according to the protocol,” said Mr Rajender.
