Coronavirus: 2 students under observation

THIRUVANANTHPAURAM: Two Malayalee medical students who returned from China recently have been placed under observation in Kochi and Kottayam respectively for suspected coronavirus infection even as the Kerala health department issued a series of guidelines to check possible outbreak in the state.

The student who arrived in Kochi was admitted to the Ernakulam Medical College hospital after he showed symptoms of fever. He has been admitted to the isolation ward for close surveillance. He had earlier taken treatment at a private hospital which referred him to medical college hospital.

Health authorities said the samples containing his body fluids would be despatched to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for laboratory investigations. He will continue to remain under observation till the hospital receives the reports from the Pune institute.

A girl who is pursuing her medical course in China has been kept under observation in Kottayam. She returned to Kerala recently. District health authorities said that though she has not presented any symptoms, she has been kept under observation to comply with the treatment protocol. The authorities here said that 46 Indian students of Wuhan Medical College including Mala-yalees who are stranded there at the moment, are safe.

The health authorities directed all airports and seaports to continue with high surveillance in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in China. In the event of people returning from China or other places, presenting suspected symptoms coronavirus, they should be immediately taken to isolation wards set up in medical college hospitals in the state.

The authorities have directed that all persons coming from China should get in touch with district medical officers of the respective districts. The health department has also arranged an exclusive number Disha 1056 and land line 0471-2552056 for conveying any information related to suspected corona virus.

Nurse in saudi tests positive for MERS virus

It has been confirmed that a Malayalee nurse in Saudi Arbaia had tested positive for the MERS coronavirus. Dr Tarik Al Azraqi, chairman, Scien-tific Regional Infection Control Committee, Aseer Region, has confirmed that the nurse being treated at Aseer National Hospital is suffering from MERS-CoV & not 2019-NCoV (Wuhan).

Her condition is said to have improved and she has been shifted out from the ICU to a ward.

Of the 30 nurses of the hospital who were kept under observation, 23 have reported for duty.