Mysore/Mysuru: As part of the efforts to trace the origin of COVID-19 spread and to contain further spread, the Mysuru District Health authorities are questioning the doctors and other supporting staff of two private hospitals that had treated P52, the first positive patient from Nanjangud-based Jubilant Life Sciences (Jubilant Generics) and P-369, the patient with Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) from Mosambayyanahalli village.

From P52, now under quarantine at a private hotel taken over by the District Administration, the disease has spread its tentacles to more than 60 persons, all employees of the Pharma Company. In his statement to the District authorities, P52 has stated that on Mar. 13 (Friday) he fell ill while he was working at his office and after coming home, he consulted his family Physician who gave him some medicines.

The next two days were Saturday and Sunday and on Mar. 16, he went back to work and returned home without any signs of fever. On Mar. 17, though he was unwell, he attended a friend’s house-warming ceremony in Mysuru with four other colleagues. 

On Mar. 19 he went again to the family Physician who did a blood test and the next day he went to a hospital where his chest X-ray was taken and he was admitted to that hospital.

 On Mar. 22, another X-ray was done and the next day (Mar. 23), the doctors diagnosed the illness as pneumonia and took a swab sample. Later he was told that it could be COVID-19 and on Mar. 26, it was confirmed to him that he had COVID-19 and was taken to the designated COVID-19 ward at K.R. Hospital.

 Now the authorities are questioning the hospital doctors and nursing staff who have treated P52 to contain the disease spread. Also, the authorities are questioning the doctors and medical staff who have treated P-369 who has SARI symptoms. He hails from Mosambayyanahalli village near Varuna.

Patient from Mosambayyanahalli

The 72-year old male patient is said to have first visited the nursing home for OPD consultation for respiratory problems. The patient is then said to have got admitted at a private hospital, according to the medical history available with the doctors at the COVID-19 Hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment.

As the patient was confirmed positive, the authorities sealed the Nursing Home last Thursday and all the doctors, nurses and other staff were put under quarantine. District Health authorities are collecting personal data of the patient which would help them in contact tracing.

They are also questioning OPD nurses, counter staff and security guards too regarding the contacts of the patient and all the spots he had visited. The authorities are collecting information on the other outpatients and inpatients, their attendants and all staff of the Nursing Home on the day the patient visited for OPD consultation.

While health officials are yet to find the source of his infection, doctors are worried over his respiratory condition. The man had been a smoker throughout his life and he used to smoke at least four to five packs of beedies, every day. The District Administration has arranged a cardiologist to treat him. Contact tracing of P-369 has yielded some results as 60 of his primary contacts have been traced. In Mosambayanahalli that has been sealed now there are over 370 houses.