Major 'OP' to check corona spread: Hunt launched for Siddiqui 'contacts'

Hyderabad: The state government, which had played down the issue of coronavirus initially is now on its toes and is trying to track all the contacts of Mohammad Siddiqui, the 76-year-old who died of the pandemic earlier this week.

The Health department authorities have so far identified 34 contacts from Hyderabad who came in touch with Mohammad Siddiqui, during his stay in the city.

According to Director (Public Health), Telangana G Srinivas Rao, all the 34 contacts have been kept under strict home isolation. All the contacts are stable as of now.

Mohammad Siddiqui was shifted to Hyderabad as he was suffering from cold, cough and breathlessness from Gulbarga to Hyderabad for better treatment.

The ambulance reached Hyderabad around 3.30 am on March 10. He was taken to four different corporate hospitals (CT Neuro, Apollo, Jubilee Hills, Care Banjara).

According to sources, some of the hospitals suspected his symptoms to be that of Covid-19 related and advised the family members to take him to Gandhi hospital. However, they were reluctant.

Around 10.30 am, he was finally admitted to Care Hospital. According to a press release from Care Hospital, the patient initially had visited 3 other hospitals in Hyderabad prior to getting admitted in Care Hospital.

He came to the Emergency Department and was immediately shifted to an isolation room, equipped with negative air pressure and HEPA air filters as per international guidelines to prevent any further transmission.

The healthcare professionals who attended on the patient had observed complete PPE (personal protective equipment) protocol. The necessary treatment required to stabilize the patient was initiated in the isolation room of ER.

The patient and the family were counselled about further treatment and need of admission in the critical care isolation unit but the family decided to take the patient back to their native place against medical advice (LAMA) despite being explained the risk to life for non-admission.

The matter was immediately notified to the Directorate of Medical Educational (DME) – the nodal agency.

The deceased visited Saudi Arabia from January 29, 2020 to February 29. After landing in Hyderabad, he went to Gulbarga now rechristened as Kalaburagi.

The patient was known to have hypertension and asthma and had developed symptoms on March 6.