Blink News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31: The Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department Friday claimed that since January 15 this year, it has found four suspected cases of Coronavirus and sent their blood samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for further investigations.
“Since January 15, we have sent the blood samples of four suspected persons returning from foreign countries to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for further investigations. They were currently staying in home isolation during their monitoring period. We are keeping an eye on their health,” a statement from the department said on Friday.
A surveillance team of the health department has been routinely following up with the suspected patients. The team will follow up with them for 14 more days, the department added.
The department on Friday also escalated their exercise to create awareness on the issue of the viral menace and conducted a mock drill at the city airport. “The health department conducted a mock drill at the city airport today to create awareness on the issue. The mock drill was conducted as per the government guidelines and Coronavirus disease management norms,” it said.
The department also informed the media that they have planned to form a Task Force under the chairmanship of the Odisha Health Secretary. The department said, “The department formed a special Task Force under the chairmanship of Health Department Secretary. The Task Force will keep a vigil the disease and related issues and will act timely when needed,” the department said.
“In the Friday mock drill the doctors present at the area first tried to examine the suspected patients present on the airport premises. Following the norms the suspected patients were shifted to Capital Hospital under the government norms and shifted to a private isolation ward in the hospital. The department said that after the physical examination the swab and blood samples of the person was taken for diagnosis and confirmation of the presence of the virus,” the department told the media.
