Bhubaneswar: No suspected case of coronavirus has so far been detected in Odisha, health secretary Nikunj Dhal said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after his interaction with his counterpart in the union government through video conference, Dhal added that the state government is prepared to send blood samples of suspected victims to Pune in case an outbreak is noticed.
Besides, dedicated wards have been kept ready at six hospitals of the state to treat the patients in isolation.
The state health secretary further informed that two persons reached Odisha from China via Malaysia Wednesday. However, they do not show any of the symptoms associated with the disease. That said, they have been kept in quarantine. After 15 days, they will be put through several tests to check the presence of coronavirus. The identities of these persons have been kept secret.
Notably, the deadly coronavirus has so far claimed 132 lives in China, leaving about 6,000 affected ou of which 1,239 are terminally ill. The fear of this disease spreading in India is quite a possibility. While it is suspected that more than 100 persons are carrying the virus in the country, a student from Kerala has been tested positive. His condition is said to be stable.
PNN
