Kerala on high alert after 5 fresh coronavirus cases

Three of the five people in Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two other relatives were infected after they came into contact with them.

Five people of a family, including three who recently came back from Italy, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in Kerala, prompting authorities to put the state on high alert, health minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday.

Medical staff, wearing protective suits, dispose of medical waste as they exit the Special Isolation Ward set up to provide treatment to Covid-19 patients at Kochi Medical college in Kerala on February 8. (PTI photo)

Three of the five people in Pathanamthitta district had returned from Italy last month and two other relatives were infected after they came into contact with them.

Shailaja said that all the five infected patients have been kept at an isolation ward in the Pathanamthitta general hospital and their condition is stable.

They were admitted to the hospital on Friday when they complained of fever and throat infection and tested positive at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Alappuzha, which has been designated as the state nodal laboratory for testing Covid-19 cases.

Their samples were sent to the NIV in Pune and the institute confirmed their positive status late Sunday evening.

The minister said that three persons had failed to inform health officials about their return from Italy and warned people of stern action if they hide their travel history.

Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are more at risk of developing serious illness from the virus.

“The situation is under control. We have started tracing their contacts,” said PB Nooh Pathanamthitta’s collector .

Health officials said the three had returned to Kochi from Italy via Doha, Qatar, on February 29.

Officials at the international airport in Kochi said 350 people had travelled on the Doha-Cochin QR 514 flight on that day and they had handed over their details to health authorities.

Thermal checking was done at the airport and they did not show any symptoms then, they added.

The government has asked all the people who travelled with them to report to the nearest hospitals and at least 75 of them were quarantined in their homes.

Officials in Pathanamthitta have said all public functions will be cancelled in view of the latest developments.

At least 25 rapid action teams have been formed and doctors from neighbouring districts are called to help contain the spread of the virus.

Nooh has requested people to cooperate with the government to stop the infection from spreading.

The Kerala government is worried that any laxity could prove costly because of the southern state’s high population density and mobility of people.

The latest cases came to light at a time when Kerala, which had reported the country’s first three cases of coronavirus in January, was being lauded for its efforts after the patients recovered.

Officials said a disturbing factor in these new cases is that two of the affected are secondary infections.

Kerala is also keeping its fingers crossed as over three million women are set to gather in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Attukal Pongala. It is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in the heart of the city and is considered the world’s largest congregation of women.

Shailaja also appealed that those who have fever or cold should not participate in Pongala.

Thiruvananthapuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan has urged devotees from abroad to perform Pongala in their hotels instead. “It will help contain the infection, if any,” he said.

Later in the evening, the health minister rushed to Pathanamthitta and chaired a high-level meeting. District health officials said at least 2000 people will be put under observation and they have prepared a list for this.

“We have information that Italy returnees had participated in prayers, attended a wedding and even went to the district police superintendent’s office for some work,” said Ranni MLA Raju Abraham.

After their “irresponsible behaviour” triggered enough protests, the state police said it will take strict action against those who dodge their travel history. State police chief Loknath Behra has issued a directive warning action against such people.

Schools have been closed for three days in Pathanamthitta . Ten more samples sent for test. In Kolam, too, five persons showed symptoms for virus. 24x7 call centres opened in all districts. These measures were taken after the meeting.

Another worrying point is that hill temple Sabarimala, situated in Pathanamthitta district, is opening for monthly poojas in a couple of days.

The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which runs the temple, has advised people who came from abroad and others suffering from ailments to skip their pilgrimage this time. “We have to be extremely careful,” said TDB president N Vasu.

So far, the Centre has confirmed that 39 people have been infected with coronavirus across the country.