Two more direct contacts of the three COVID-19 infected persons from Ranni, who came from Italy on February 29, tested positive for the disease on Tuesday, taking the total number of infected persons admitted to isolation wards at two government hospitals in the district to seven.
According to District Collector P.B. Noohu, the two persons who have been tested positive on Tuesday are undergoing treatment at the isolation ward at the District Hospital at Kozhencherry.
A 56-year old man, his wife and 22-year old son, who came from Italy, and the man’s brother and sister-in law were the first five confirmed COVID-19 cases in the district. The man’s elderly parents, who were taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam on Monday, too tested positive on Tuesday. They were shifted from the Pathanamthitta General Hospital to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital as they have been suffering from multiple old-age related health problems.
The Health authorities have already identified as many as 270 direct contacts and 449 secondary contacts. Efforts are on to trace more contacts of these people during their stay at Ranni from February 29 till they were taken to the
isolation ward at Pathanamthitta General Hospital on March 6.
Man brought back
Meanwhile, a person with COVID-19 symptoms who escaped from the isolation ward at the General Hospital on Monday night
was traced to his house at Vechoochira and brought back to the hospital by Monday midnight.
According to an official statement issued here on Tuesday evening, a total of 28 persons, including the five persons who tested positive for COVID-19, have been admitted to the isolation wards set up at four hospitals in the district.
Of this, 18 are at Pathanamthitta General Hospital, seven at District Hospital, Kozhencherry, two at Adoor General Hospital, and one person at the Believers Church Medical College Hospital at Thiruvalla.
A total of 900 persons have been quarantined at their homes, the statement said.
