With 5 new Kerala cases, coronavirus toll up to 39
■ Delhi, other state govts order new counter-measures
Five people from Kerala tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, taking India’s total number of infections to 39. Out of these five persons, three — a couple and their son — have a recent travel history to Italy, while two others were their relatives. These three had evaded the health screening at the airport on their return on February 29 despite having symptoms. All the five hail from the state’s Pathnamthitta district.
Another person from Tamil Nadu has been diagnosed with fever during screening at the airport and has been sent to a hospital for observation. The 15-year-old boy arrived in Chennai from the United States via Doha on Sunday. The authorities sent him to the RGGGH after examining him in a special ward set up at the airport, and tests were being done to THE FIVE infected people were isolated in Pathnamathitta general hospital and the state put under high alert see if the boy has coronavirus.
As for Kerala case, the five infected people were isolated in Pathnamathitta general hospital and the state put under high alert. Incidentally, India’s first three positive cases too had been reported from Kerala.
The three, who had returned from Venice, had not told the authorities that they had come back from Italy. When two of their relatives had sought treatment at private and taluk hospitals with virus symptoms, the authorities came to know about the travel history of those who returned to India from Italy. They had evaded screening at the airport and were initially reluctant to get admitted to the hospital, Kerala’s ■
health minister said, adding they had at first refused to cooperate with health officials and were forcefully admitted to the isolation ward of Pathnamathitta general hospital.
“The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practices have to be seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately,” Kerala health minister K. Shailaja said.
The government also released the flight details of the three persons who had travelled from Venice. They took the VeniceDoha Qatar Airways QR126 flight on February 29, which reached at 11.30 pm. For an hour and a half they were at Doha airport, and took another Qatar Airways flight, QR-514, to Kochi, and arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 and took a private car to their home in Pathnamthitta district.
“All passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with the health authorities,” the minister said. Qatar
Airways said it is working with the Indian health authorities on this issue. The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of the “Attukal Pongal” festival in Kerala on Monday, when thousands of women from various parts of Kerala and outside, including foreigners, are expected to participate.
The rising number of coronavirus cases in India has led to several state governments taking preventive measures. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday ordered the DTC and cluster buses, Delhi Metro and hospitals to be disinfected on a regular basis. The Arunachal Pradesh has temporarily suspended issuing Protected Area Permits to foreigners to check the spread of coronavirus, officials said Sunday. Foreigners need PAPs to enter the state, which that shares a border with China. Arunachal chief secretary Naresh Kumar directed all the PAP issuing authorities to suspend the issue of permits till further orders, they said. Sikkim had earlier stopped the issue of inner line permits (ILP) on Thursday.