Cuttack: The Indian crew member and his wife of a cargo ship that has anchored in the anchorage area of Paradip port who were admitted to the SCB Medical College & Hospital here on suspicion of being infected with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID19) have tested negative.
Emergency Officer of SCBMC&H Dr Bhubanananda Moharana this evening informed that the blood samples and swabs of the couple have tested negative as per reports from the National Institute of Virology, Pune.
The crew member who is said to be a marine engineer had developed fever with Coronavirus like symptoms on board the cargo ship Chemstellar on March 2.
The crew member, a native of Uttar Pradesh accompanied by his wife had visited a place near Shanghai in China on February 9 and en route to Paradip had touched South Korea on February 15, Singapore on February 25 and had reached India on March 1.
On being informed, Paradip Port authorities had quarantined the crew member and his wife and had shifted him to SCBMC&H on Tuesday as per protocol laid down by WHO and Indian Health Ministry.
The couple was kept in isolation ward of the SCBMC&H and their blood samples and nasal and throat swabs were sent to NIV Pune for testing. The couple was being provided with symptomatic treatment.