One new coronavirus case in Agra

Agra, March 9 (IANS) A factory worker who came in contact with the coronavirus positive businessman from Agra, has also tested positive, pushing the total number of coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh to six.The new patient was admitted to Agra district hospital while three suspected patients from Aligarh and four from Siddhartha Nagar have been quarantined.Earlier, six members from the businessman’s family were admitted to the Safdarjung hospital in New Delhi and five of them had tested positive.Health authorities have already screened more than 150 persons who came in contact with the Agra businessman.

Gearing up to tackle the situation, authorities have taken additional measures to strengthen surveillance in Agra and around.Uttar Pradesh nodal officer Vikasendu Agarwal said, “A team of 40 officers has been deployed to manage the coronavirus situation in Agra. Besides, three Epidemic Intelligence Services officers from Delhi have been posted in Agra to keep an eye on the developments and situation.”He said infrared thermometers had been made available to health teams deployed at the Taj Mahal. Authorities are also tracking contacts of the new case.

The sensitisation drive at Agra covering houses in an area of three kilometre radius around the Master Plan Road has been extended till March 9 and 314 teams have been deployed for it.Report of the suspected case from Ghaziabad is still awaited. “Treatment of the patient who returned from Iran continues at the RML Hospital in New Delhi,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary Health, Amit Mohan Prasad reviewed situation in the state and said everything was under control. As part of additional measures, screening labs were also being set up in Sefai in Etawah, Aligarh and Varanasi.The doctors at the Pulmonary Medicine Department in the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow has constituted a rapid response team. The head of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Department, Ved Prakash said, “The task force will work to prevent the transmission of disease.”

–IANSamita/dpb