Kolkata, May 05: Asitava Purakayastha, the city's first Sars-positive patient, was today released from the infectious diseases hospital where he was undergoing treatment, according to West Bengal's director of medical education Chittaranjan Maity. Purakayastha's release was ordered in keeping with the recommendation of the expert advisory committee which was satisfied that Purakayastha's condition fulfilled those laid down in the who protocol for the release of Sars patients, Maity, who is also a committee member, told newsmen. ''Asitava Purakayastha is now free from Sars and is now free to move about without the danger of affecting anyone else,'' Maity said.
He said that a decision about the two other Sars patients, Radheyshyam Gupta and Jamil Ahmed, would be taken after studying the reports of their blood tests. The condition of both of them was being monitored.
The blood test reports of two other suspected Sars patients Hazari Prasad and Sisir Sanketi, were still awaited, he said.
Maity said that there was no fresh case of any Sars- suspected patient being admitted to the ID Hospital today.
In addition to the hospital discharge certificate declaring Purakayastha free from Sars, the state health department would also issue a certificate to that effect if requested by Purakayastha. ''Since he is a frequent traveller abroad, he may need the certificate to obtain visa.''
Bureau Report