the goan I network
MARGAO
The quarantine facility set up at the TB hospital atop the Monte Hill, Margao, in the wake of the coronavirus scare was put to use on Wednesday after the health authorities quarantined as many as four persons who had travelled by the Air India Dubai-Goa flight on March 9.
While two of the quarantined persons are foreigners, the remaining two are from the state. Sources said the four persons include a husband and wife who had travelled by the same flight along with the Bengaluru woman, who has since been tested positive for coronavirus.
No sooner the four persons were quarantined at the designated wards set up at the TB hospital, health officials equipped with safety equipment descended on the hospital and took swabs of the four. The swabs have since been sent for testing.
A senior health official said whether the four persons have been infected by the virus or not will be known only after the test report comes in a day or two. “The four people are not considered as patients, but have been quarantined since they travelled by the same flight along with the Bengaluru woman”, the official said.
This is the first time since the coronavirus was declared as a pandemic, the isolation wards set up at the TB hospital have been put to use. One of the isolation wards was earlier notified as a designated ward at the time of the swine flu disease.
The four persons were quarantined after the health officials tracked them down as per the details.
Two government ambulances were parked outside the TB hospital, indicate that the government is bracing up to meet any eventuality.
