Kolkata: An Italian couple and a Thai national have been admitted to the isolation ward of the government-run Beliaghata ID hospital here with symptoms of novel coronavirus, an official of the health department said Friday. Two more people are also under observation at the same ward, taking the total number of patients admitted with symptoms of coronavirus at the facility to five, he informed.
The Italian couple, in their mid 30s, came to India March 5 and arrived here recently, the official said, adding their blood and swab samples have been collected and sent for tests.
Two other foreigners – one from Malaysia and another from Australia – who were visiting ISKCON in Mayapur have been admitted to a medical facility run by the organisation.
“These two persons had visited ISKCON, Mayapur for the Gour Poornima festival and they complained of fever following which they have been admitted to the hospital run by ISKCON. We are keeping an eye on the situation,” the official stated.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, three Italians, who have been working to organise a programme on women empowerment in Burdwan district of this state, have been asked to leave the area.
“We have asked them to leave because they have come from Italy where the coronavirus outbreak is severe. We have also found that they have violated the 14-day self-quarantine period after arriving February 28 in India,” said another official. “We have not allowed them to hold their programme since it involves a mass gathering,” the official of the district administration added.
PTI
