Bhopal’s 1st COVID-19 patient, her journo father test negative

Bhopal: A London-returned woman, who was the first person to test coronavirus positive in Bhopal, and her journalist father, also a COVID-19 patient, have been discharged from a hospital here after their repeat samples tested negative, a senior official said on Saturday.

The daughter-father duo was discharged from the AIIMS, Bhopal on Friday night, the official said.

“The woman as well as her journalist father were discharged as their repeat samples tested negative,” director of AIIMS Bhopal, Dr Sarman Singh told PTI.

The woman had tested coronavirus positive on March 21, while her 62-year-old father was found infected four days later. Both of them had been admitted to AIIMS, Bhopal for treatment.

Days before testing positive, the journalist had attended the then chief minister Kamal Nath’s press conference on March 20. His test results later triggered panic among those journalists, who were also present at Nath’s briefing.

The woman, who was pursuing a post-graduate course in law in London, had returned to Bhopal via Delhi on March 18.

Bhopal divisional commissioner Kalpana Shrivastava confirmed that they have been discharged from the hospital after recovery.