JAIPUR: An Italian national tested positive in the screening test for
novel coronavirus
at Sawai Man Singh Hospital on Monday. However, health authorities claimed that his swab samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for confirmation.
The patient, along with a group, came from Udaipur on February 28 and checked in at Hotel Ramada Inn. In the night, the patient complained of breathlessness and cough, and was rushed to a private hospital. Doctors attended to him at the emergency unit of the hospital. Since he was suffering from novel coronavirus, the hospital immediately shifted him to Sawai Man Singh Hospital.
Hospital officials told TOI that they shifted the patient to SMS Hospital following the guidelines issued by the Centre on COVID-19. The patient was admitted to SMS Hospital around 12.30pm on February 29. “When the patient was admitted, the doctors took the samples and conducted a screening test, he was tested negative. But, a second test was conducted on Monday in which he was tested positive for COVID-19,” said health minister Raghu Sharma.
Since he tested negative in the first screening, the hospital authorities had shifted him from isolation to Sethia H1N1 ICU. But, when he tested positive for the disease, the doctors immediately shifted him to the isolation ward of Sawai Man Singh Medical College.
Initially, the doctors suspected it to be a case of swine flu. They conducted a test for swine flu, but the result was negative for H1N1.
According to health department officials, Krishna Gopal Shekhawat, the travel agent of four seasons travel agency, said the patient came along with a group from Udaipur on February 28. The group of 23 people had landed in Delhi on February 21. They flew to Jodhpur and then travelled to Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Jaipur. They reached Jaipur on February 28. On Sunday, while rest of the group travelled to Agra and finally to Delhi on Monday. The officials said the group will check out from Delhi’s hotel at midnight to fly back to Italy.
SMS Medical College principal and controller Dr Sudhir Bhandari said, “The second screening test was positive and he he was immediately shifted back to the ICU of the isolation hospital. All due precautions were taken and sample for confirmation is being sent to NIV, Pune.”
The SMS Medical College administration received a call from the Italian Embassy with a request to shift the patient to a private hospital. The hospital, however, conveyed that they were waiting for the second confirmatory test and would require an email from the Italian embassy for shifting of the patient to the private hospital.
However, as per the new guidelines following two drugs IV remdesivir/lopinavir and ritonavir have been tried in various studies out of which remdesivir may not be available in India. SMS Hospital will procure remdesivir or any new drug which has been tested for therapeutic treatment so far, through the concerned embassy. Meanwhile, the doctors are treating him by IV antibiotics, chloroquine and oseltamivir. “He is shortly going to be started on lopinavir and ritonavir. At present, his vital parameters are stable but requires NIV (bi pap support),” said a hospital official.
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