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Journalism of Courage
Odisha on Monday reported its first case of coronavirus after a 33-year-old man, with travel history to Italy, tested positive.
Briefing reporters on the same, the government’s designated spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said the “patient is a 33-year-old man who had returned from Italy, where he was a research scholar”.
The patient, the spokesperson said, arrived in New Delhi on March 6 following which he took a train and reached Bhubaneswar on March 12. On March 13, he consulted a private physician and was admitted to a hospital on the following day.
On Sunday night, the government received a report which said the man had tested positive for coronavirus.
“The good news is that there are no complications and he is stable,” Bagchi said.
The government official also said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is monitoring the situation.
“A high-level medical committee has been formed. CM Patnaik is monitoring the situation. The state government is in touch with the Centre and World Health Organisation in this regard,” he said.
“We have to be prepared for six months, not just a few weeks,” he added.
Besides appealing to the media to protect the identity of the patient, Bagchi asked journalists “not to approach health care service providers for bytes and disrupt treatment”.
The government spokesperson also assured to provide regular updates on the status of the virus across the state, as well as that of the patient.
Meanwhile, as per section 35 of the Odisha Urban Police Act, the commissioner of police (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack) has ordered all malls in the twin cities to remain closed till March 31, effective Monday.
Police are also holding raids across medical stores in the twin cities to prevent hoarding and profiteering of masks and hand sanitizers.
