Italian man tests positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan's Jaipur

An Italian national has been kept under observation at the Jaipur's SMS Hospital after he tested positive for Covid-19 caused by a new strain of coronavirus. The initial tests conducted in Jaipur showed that the man was infected with coronavirus but the samples of the patient were then sent to Pune for cross verification and it was reconfirmed by more tests than the man was indeed infected with the coronavirus. 

It is learnt that the man had first gone to a private hospital and he was then referred to SMS Hospital on Saturday. Notably, the hospital authorities are yet to make any official statement in this regard. Sources told Zee Media that the infected patient was in touch with some other patients too. He was kept in a normal ICU before the doctors decided to shift him to an isolation ward.

"A passenger landed in Jaipur from Italy on Feb 29. He was admitted to the isolation ward at a hospital after he showed symptoms of COVID-19 in the screening. He had tested negative. However, he tested positive in second testing," said Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma.

Earlier on Monday (March 2), Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan confirmed two positive cases of coronavirus in India and said the government is actively monitoring the situation and screening of passengers is being done at 21 airports, 12 seaports and 65 minor seaports. 

Dr Harsh Vardhan confirmed that one positive case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Delhi and Telangana each. "The person who has tested positive in Delhi has travel history from Italy while the other person has travel history from Dubai. ‘Both the patients are stable and being closely monitored,"  a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that over 5 lakh passengers have been screened at airports while 12,431 passengers have been screened on minor and major seaports so far.

The Union Minister added that 23 samples have been sent for testing and the results are awaited. “We advise Indians to avoid non-essential travel to China, Iran, Korea, Singapore, and Italy. As the situation develops, the travel restrictions may be further extended to other countries also”, he added.