One more man from city tests positive for coronavirus

New Delhi: A Delhi man with a travel history to Thailand and Malaysia has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of confirmed cases in India to 31.

After the closure of primary classes, the Delhi government has directed schools in the national capital to suspend morning assembly as a precautionary measure for coronavirus. All government and private hospitals in Southwest Delhi have been directed to reserve 10 per cent beds for coronavirus patients.

According to health ministry official, one suspected COVID-19 case has been confirmed as positive.

The patient is from Uttam Nagar in Delhi. He has a travel history to Thailand and Malaysia. He is stable and being monitored.

The total number of confirmed cases in India now stands at 31, said a health ministry official.

Altogether, 11 people, including 7 family members, who came in contact  with the man have been quarantined.

The 25-year-old man, who also travelled to Malaysia, has tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the national capital to three.

“The family of the patient, comprising his wife, parents, brother, sister-in-law, and his two kids, has been home-quarantined. Their samples have been taken for testing. The patient, his wife, brother, and sister-in-law worked from home,” said a Delhi government health official, adding that they are trying to trace the other people the patient came in contact with.

A Paytm employee, who tested positive for coronavirus, is also a resident of West Delhi.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has advised schools to withhold biometric attendance for staff till further orders. “Do not hold school assembly. Also, withhold biometric attendance for staff till further orders,” the DoE has said in a letter to principals of all government and private schools.

The primary classes of all schools in the national capital have been closed till March 31, but students of secondary classes and the staff are required to attend school.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that anganwadis have been closed in view of the coronavirus scare. The government child care centres have been closed from Friday.

Southwest Delhi district magistrate Rahul Singh on Friday issued the order, asking all government and private hospitals to create facility for COVID-19 patients. “You are aware that there is an emergency situation of COVID-19 in Delhi. Therefore, all government and private hospitals need to create the facility of isolation beds for COVID-19 patients, that is 10 per cent of the total bed capacity of all government and private hospitals under SWD,” the order stated.

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation is preparing to set up separate wards for the deadly disease at four hospitals run by it. The civic body has already set up a separate ward with 14 beds for coronavirus patients at the Bara Hindurao hospital run by it.

The chairman of Medical Assistance and Public Health Committee of North Corporation, Vineet Vohra, reviewed preparations for prevention of the virus in a meeting with health officers of the civic body.

The health officers apprised in the meeting that preparations are going on for setting up separate wards at the Kasturba, Rajan Babu, Maharishi Valmiki, and Smt. Giridhar Lal hospitals of the North Delhi civic body.