‘Runaway’ Coronavirus Suspect Admitted To Capital Hospital In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: An Irish national, bearing symptoms of novel-coronavirus, and a resident of Puri’s Nimapada were admitted to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the Irishman had got the authorities of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack into a tizzy after he reportedly fled the hospital, where he was asked to get admitted for diagnosis, on Thursday night.

A complaint in this regard was also lodged at Manglabagh police station.

According to sources, the 35-year-old Irishman landed at Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Thursday and his temperature was found to be slightly more than normal during the thermal screening. He was then asked to report to Capital Hospital, where doctors referred him to the SCB after preliminary check-up.

Instead of getting admitted to the hospital, he returned to his hotel in Bhubaneswar with the man from Nimapada, who was his interpreter.  The police later found him under self quarantine in the hotel.

Director, Public Health, Dr Ajit Mohanty said that a team of doctors from Capital Hospital visited the Irishman in the hotel and conducted a thorough check-up.  “Though there was no major symptoms, we brought him and his interpreter to the hospital. Since he had visited several places before landing here, we did not want to take any chance,” he added.

Capital Hospital Director Dr. Ashok Kumar Pattnaik said that the two will be kept under observation in the isolation ward of the city hospital till submission of their swab report.

Meanwhile, another suspect, a native of Dungripali in Sonepur district, has tested negative for the deadly disease. He was admitted to VIMSAR, Burla, on Tuesday. However, the hospital authorities have decided to keep him under further observation and not discharge him anytime soon.