Image used for representational purpose

CHANDIGARH: A 28-year-old resident of Mohali, who had recently returned from China, was on Monday morning admitted to PGIMER with coronavirus-like symptoms. After seeing his symptoms of respiratory distress, the patient who had gone to the emergency was admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward for communicable diseases.

“The patient is a suspected case and has been admitted to the isolation ward. His blood samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune,” said Prof Jagat Ram, the director of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.

According to sources, the patient is a banker and had travelled to a province near Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, in China. His family members have been quarantined at home. “He had come with complaint of breathlessness and chest congestion to the emergency. The ministry of health and family welfare has also been informed about the case,” said a PGI official. “His samples have been sent and we expect the report by tomorrow. As the virus is novel, there is no definite incubation period or medicines. Thus, the aim is to prevent the transmission,” said a PGI doctor.

A meeting was held in PGI on Monday to deliberate on various protocols and guidelines from the Union health ministry to detect and contain the virus. The ministry will be kept updated about the status of the patient from time to time.

The physicians taking care of the patient have been given authority to ask for any protective masks or medicines immediately from the institute.

Suspected patients are quarantined at home in case their symptoms are mild, said the PGI doctors. Admission to hospital is required only for serious symptoms when there is hypoxia. “The patient in the PGI is under observation. No one other than the health workers can enter the room,” said the PGI official.

