MP: Journalist among 6 new COVID-19 cases; panic among scribes

A journalist from Bhopal was among the six new COVID-19 patients reported in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, triggering panic among the media fraternity as he was present at a press conference of former chief minister Kamal Nath here on March 20. Besides attending Nath's presser, the journalist also visited the state assembly on March 20 when session was on.

Bhopal's chief medical and health officer Sudhir Dehariya said those who came in contact with the journalist should remain in home isolation for 14 days, and approach the coronavirus control room if they develop symptoms of cough, cold or fever in the next few days. The journalist, who is in his 60s, is the father of a 26-year old woman who earlier tested positive for coronavirus, Dehariya said.

Both the journalist and his daughter are undergoing treatment at the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, he said. The woman, a post-graduate law course student, returned to Bhopal from London last week and lived with her family for two days before testing positive for the viral infection on March 20.

Her mother, brother and those working at their home have tested negative for the disease, he said. "Those who came in contact with the person, who has tested positive, are advised to isolate themselves at home for 14 days.

"In case any of the symptoms like cough, cold and fever surface in six-seven days, such people can contact the coronavirus control room," Dehariya said. Since the journalist attended Nath's press conference last week, the news of him testing positive has created panic among media persons here.

A senior journalist with a national daily here said, "Kamal Nath, Congress MLAs and leaders, government officers and a large number of journalists were present at the press conference. "I also met him. All are in panic now. He should not have attended the press conference when he was aware about the international travel history of his daughter." He said mediapersons and others who met the journalist during the press conference should now isolate themselves, instead of panicking.

Journalists Club, Bhopal, president Dinesh Gupta, told PTI, "This is a very irresponsible behaviour. The Centre has repeatedly issued advisories about precautions pertaining to persons having international travel history and those coming in contact with them. Despite this, the person was present at the huge gathering." The district administration should have quarantined such persons in advance as they are aware about people coming from other countries, he said. Meanwhile, Commissioner of Public Relations, MP government, P Narhari, in a message, told journalists present at Nath's press conference to immediately quarantine themselves.

As per the health department, any medical check-up can be done only if a person shows symptoms associated with the viral infection, Narhari said. State Assembly Principal Secretary A P Singh, in a statement, said he has quarantined himself at home.

"I came to know the coronavirus-infected journalist had also visited the Assembly. The journalists, officials and others who came in his contact should sanitise their homes before observing self-isolation. "I have also sanitised my home and quarantined myself," Singh said.

However, none of the journalists present at Nath's presser has reported coronavirus-related symptom so far. Doctors said symptoms may take a week or more to surface.

Besides the journalist from Bhopal, five persons admitted in different hospitals of Indore, including a woman from neighbouring Ujjain district, tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh to 15. The woman (65) later succumbed at government-run M Y Hospital in Indore, becoming the first COVID-19 fatality in Madhya Pradesh.

Till Tuesday, six positive coronavirus cases were reported from Jabalpur and one each from Bhopal, Gwalior and Shivpuri. Now, the number positive cases in Bhopal has gone up to two..