Jaipur, March 2 The first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection was reported in the state capital on Monday as a foreign citizen from Italy tested positive in SMS Hospital for the disease, confirmed Raghu Sharma, State Health Minister, adding that his samples have been sent to Pune for further tests.
The patient (69) was admitted on February 29 after complaining of cough and cold. Initially his samples were collected and seemed negative. However, as his condition deteriorated, his samples were collected again and tested positive.
The patient was in the ICU earlier but has now been sent to the isolation ward, he said.
There was a minor variation between the two reports and hence the samples have been sent to Pune. Our team is in alert mode and an emergency department meeting has been called, the minister said.
Thorough monitoring is being done and we are trying to find out who was with the patient in the ICU and whether he came in contact with other people, officials told .
Sharma said that a guide informed them that it was a 20-member group which had come to Udaipur from Italy. Thereafter, they came to Jaipur and all his other 19 tour members have now gone to Agra.
"What is worrying is that 20 people came in from Italy to Udaipur and then came to Jaipur. Now, they all have gone to Agra," said officials adding that the authorities have been alerted and a detailed report is being sent to the central government about the patient and his group's travel history.
Sharma said that directions have been issued to collect samples of those who came in touch with the patient in the ICU.
( With inputs from IANS )