Hyderabad-based activist Sunitha Krishnan, who was admitted at state-run Gandhi Hospital, tested negative for coronavirus on Tuesday. The news was confirmed by the activist and hospital authorities.
Sunitha Krishnan, founder of Prajwala, an NGO which works against human trafficking, had self-reported to health officials after developing a mild cough following a trip to Bangkok, where she had been on an official visit. She was kept in isolation and test samples were collected.
Speaking to TNM, Gandhi Hospital Superintendent, Dr Shravan Kumar said, "Yesterday, six patients were admitted for suspected coronavirus and all of them were tested negative."
Taking to Twitter, Sunitha, wrote, "The test results for coronavirus has just come in, it is NEGATIVE, what a relief!!! Many thanks to all my friends & well wishes for your prayers and wishes."
The test results for coronavirus has just come in, it is NEGATIVE, what a relief!!!
— sunitha krishnan (@sunita_krishnan) March 3, 2020
Many thanks to all my friends & well wishes for your prayers and wishes.
On Monday, shortly after the activist announced that she was admitted in the isolation ward to test for coronavirus, the government had confirmed two positive cases of the disease — one from Delhi and the other from Hyderabad. Many assumed that Sunitha had tested positive.
Debunking the rumours, she tweeted, "Can I make it very very clear that I am admitted in the isolation ward of Gandhi Hospital for suspected coronavirus infection as I have just come back from Bangkok with a mild cough. The tests have been done & we are awaiting the results. Any other news is fake!!!"
Can I make it very very clear that I am admitted in the isolation ward of Gandhi Hospital for suspected coronavirus infection as I have just come back from Bangkok with a mild cough. The tests have been done & we are awaiting the results. Any other news is fake!!!
— sunitha krishnan (@sunita_krishnan) March 2, 2020
Meanwhile, on Monday, a software employee from Hyderabad's Mahendra Hills, who returned from Dubai, tested positive for coronavirus. As Dubai was not in the list of countries which mandated thermal screening at the airport, the patient wasn't identified at Bengaluru airport. After working at his Bengaluru office for a couple of days, he had returned to Hyderabad. The patient was admitted to a private hospital on February 22, after he developed a fever.
Subsequently, he was shifted to Gandhi Hospital on Sunday evening, and tested positive.
