Three suspected Coronavirus patients quarantined in Mumbai

Passengers arriving from China are being screened at all airports in India. Pics/AFP

Three suspected Coronavirus patients have been placed in quarantine at Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli and their samples sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune on Friday. Doctors at all private hospitals have also been asked to check the travel history of patients presenting symptoms of common cold.

The three are a 36-year-old and a 61-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman. All three had travelled to China recently. While two were admitted on Thursday, the third was admitted on Friday. Two have already been given the all-clear but are still being kept in quarantine.

A notice asks passengers arriving in India from China and Hong Kong to report to the Airport Health Unit, following a government order to screen passengers

Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said their blood samples have been sent for testing and reports of at least two patients were expected to arrive on Thursday. According to civic officials, while the woman landed in the city on January 23 after spending a week in China, the younger male reached the city on January 22. While the older patient had visited Hong Kong. "All three patients have symptoms of common cold and have been kept under observation. We will decide on further course of treatment after test results come," said Kakani. He added that a separate 28-bed isolation ward has been created for Coronavirus patients.

Another civic official said that for the time being, patients are not allowed to meet family members. "They are to be monitored for 28 days. But the patient doesn't have to necessarily be hospitalised for that. We can take a decision depending on the test results and their condition," said the official.

The official added that the virus will affect only those who have travelled to China's Wuhan district.

Apart from the three patients in Mumbai, three others were identified in Pune. Dr Archana Patil from the Directorate of Health Services said, "We are monitoring their condition. The patients can be given symptomatic treatment." A novel strain of the Coronavirus which presents symptoms of respiratory illnesses has become a health concern after a growing number of cases were detected in China.

Symptoms of Coronavirus

Cough, cold, fever, breathlessness, spreads from one infected person to others through air and personal contact

Precautions to take

. Keep hands clean
. Avoid close contact with sick people
. Cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing
. Stay home when sick

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates