The Telangana health department officials are monitoring at least 80 people with whom the first COVID-19 affected person has come in contact with since he came to Hyderabad on February 22.
Giving alarming details of this case, Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajendar informed that the 24-year-old software professional originally hailing from Mahendra Hills area of Secunderabad had gone to Dubai from his Bengaluru-based office and after he came to Hyderabad on February 22, developed symptoms associated with COVID-19.
"First the patient went to Apollo hospital in Secunderabad when he came from Bengaluru and when the condition worsened, he came to government Gandhi Hospital yesterday at 5 PM and after we ran tests, the sample of which was sent to Pune National Institute of Virology, it was confirmed today afternoon that this youngster has COVID-19. Presently, he is in isolation ward at government Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad and is being monitored continuously. Also, he is stable at present," said the health minister.
However, the challenge for Telangana health officials is to monitor all the 80 people which include his family members, passengers of the bus in which he travelled from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, and the staff of Apollo hospitals with whom this patient had come in contact with.
"We also contacted his Bengaluru office where he came directly from Dubai wherein we suspect he may have contacted the disease from Hong Kong-based colleagues who were also there with him", added Etela Rajender.
It has also come to light that this patient from Telangana was not screened at Bengaluru airport when he arrived from Dubai as it was not in the screening list of countries for COVID-19.
The Telangana government has also announced that there is no need to panic as various government departments are on extra vigil in view of this first case in the state.
