Punjab: Native village of corona-positive patient sealed in Patiala, 14 others isolated, samples sent for tests

SHAMBU (PATIALA): The authorities on Sunday stepped into to seal Ramnagar Sainiyan, the native village of the corona-positive patient admitted at

Ambala Civil hospital.

The health teams shifted 14 of his close associates to the government Rajindra hospital and placed them in isolation while sending their samples for testing.

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Patiala deputy commissioner Kumar Amit and SSP

Mandeep Singh Sidhu

along with other officials visited the village on Sunday morning along with teams of the health department to assess the situation.

The 21-year-old youth from this village was admitted to the Civil Hospital in Ambala by family members on March 26, where his coronavirus test came out positive. The health department has admitted 14 family members of the young man to the Government Registry Hospital for isolation as a precaution. The test reports of all 14 family members were found to be negative.

Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra said, "While none of his family members have so far shown any symptoms, but they have been kept in isolation as a precautionary measure."

Deputy Commissioner, Kumar Amit, also interacted with the village sarpanch and other persons and asked them to exercise extreme caution and ensure that in case any of the villagers show symptoms associated with Covid-19, the matter should be immediately reported to the health officials.

SSP Sidhu said police teams have been deployed at all entry and exit points of the village and a round the clock vigil is being maintained to ensure that individuals from other areas do not come in contact with the local population who could be at risk of contracting the disease from the 21-year-old. The police have erected barricades around the village. The SSP said anyone found violating the restrictions will have to face the consequences.

Meanwhile, the civil surgeon said health teams under epidemiologist Dr Sumit Singh have conducted a survey of the village and generated health charts of the residents. Four health surveillance teams have also been deployed in the village along with two medical teams and spraying sodium hypochloride in the village is being undertaken an attempt to disinfect the village.

Meanwhile, an advisory has also been issued in the adjoining villages asking the residents to remain alert and report anyone who develops any symptoms associated with Covid-19 as a precautionary measure.

The 21-year-old had returned from Nepal on March 20 has been admitted to Ambala Civil on March 26 after he complained of stomach ache. He also had symptoms like headache, loose motions and fever and initially had no respiratory difficulty. He is an employee with a private firm at Chandigarh but had not attended office due to lockdown.