Hyd RMO invited Dubai returnee for a meal, tested COVID-19 +Ve

Hyderabad: A Resident Medical Officer (RMO), working at a hospital in Somajiguda- Hyderabad, and his wife, have been tested positive for COVID-19. The number of cases reported in Telangana, stands at 47, as on March 27th, Health Minister Etela Rajender said.

The health bulletin released by the Telangana government, on Thursday, identified them as ‘doctors couple’. However, the hospital management told NewsMeter, that, the patient is a (RMO) and his wife, a homemaker. The couple hold MBBS degrees but are not practising.

With both having no travel history to a COVID-19 affected country, question on local transmission arise. A source working at the hospital told NewsMeter “From the information we received (referring to the management), the couple had invited a few friends to their residence at Domalguda. Out of them were people who travelled to Dubai, This ‘could’ have been the origin of transmission."

According to the travel history of Patient (44) issued by the TS health department, the patient was on leave beginning 14 of March, four days later, on 17th March, he travelled to Tirupati by Indigo flight scheduled at 10.30 AM. The latter visited SVIMS hospital to meet a doctor. He reportedly returned back the same evening, travelled by Indigo flight (7. 05 PM). Three days after he returned home, he reported to office for an hour and returned home and he fell ill’

‘He developed symptoms the next day (March 21st) and was advised to visit Gandhi Hospital where he was tested COVID-19 positive’ said the bulletin. While his 36-year-old wife turned out to be his primary contact ( with no travel history).

In another case, where could led to more local transmission in Hyderabad, is, Patient 42’s travel history. On March 14th, the patient travelled from Hyderabad to Delhi via Samparkranthi (train). Four days later he returned via Telangana express. The man arrived at Secunderabad Railway station and developed cold and fever. He along with his son took an auto to Quthbullapur, to consult a doctor. The patient was given azythromycine and dolo 650 mg as medication. The next day, he self reported himself, the reports revealed COVID-19 positive.