Two COVID-19 patients recover fully, to be discharged today

Team Udayavani, Mar 20, 2020, 11:45 AM IST

Bengaluru: Two people, who had earlier tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), have fully recovered and are virus free, the Karnataka government said on Thursday.

A 26-year-old Google techie who had visited Greece with his wife for honeymoon and landed in Mumbai on March 6 before travelling to Bengaluru and the other patient – wife of the Dell India executive who had returned from the United States to Bengaluru on March 1 will be discharged on Friday, officials confirmed.

“One good news is two patients who had tested positive and were undergoing treatment at our hospitals, have completely recovered, they will be discharged tomorrow. They have fully recovered, as per protocol within 24 hours a patient will be tested twice, if results are negative both times, they can be discharged. They will be kept in home quarantine for 14 days after their discharge,” Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said.

Calling it a good sign, he further said people should understand that COVID-19 infection does not mean death, those infected can recover and go home. “There is no need to panic..but precaution is necessary,” he added.

Referring to some pubs still functioning despite instructions that these centres should remain shut, the minister said they should down shutters or else action will be taken in accordance with law and may even lose license.

“Home Minister and Excise Minister have been requested to ask officials to act on those who are not following the directives,” he said.

Sudhakar also said religious leaders and organisations have been requested to bar pilgrims or people from visiting religious places, where large number gather.

Noting that marriages and functions with large number of people in attendance are still taking place, he appealed to the public to postpone such events or in case of unavoidable situation, restrict the number to 100-150 people.

Also, public have been advised to visit government offices, only if necessary, he added.