First suspected case of coronavirus in Bengaluru found to be negative

Bengaluru, Jan 27: A middle-aged Bengaluru resident, who returned to the city on January 19 from the Chinese city of Wuhan, has been tested negative. He was kept under observation at the State-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV), which has infected a large number of people in China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and the United States.

The middle-aged man from Yelahanka, had visited the affected city of Wuhan in Hubei province in China, and arrived in Bengaluru on January 19 and was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) on January.

The man's samples (blood and throat swab) were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.

Apart from this person, two others from Bengaluru who returned from a trip to Beijing and Wuhan, apart from four Chinese nationals who are on a business trip to Bengaluru, have also been isolated.

Around 21 samples have been sent to the National Virology Institute in Pune for testing.

Speaking to leading daily, B G Prakash Kumar, state joint director (communicable diseases), said, "Only one suspected case has been reported. Six cases of asymptomatic highrisk patients - four businessmen from China and a medical student and a business professional from Bengaluru who visited Wuhan - have been quarantined for a 28-day observation."

Over 100 people have been kept under observation in Kerala and Maharashtra following thermal screening for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus (nCov).

Thermal cameras have been installed at the pre-immigration area of the seven major airports in India and airlines staff will bring the passengers to the health counters before the immigration check.