The district administration has identified care homes in the district that can be utilised to quarantine at least 5,000 people who have come from abroad. Efforts to identify additional facilities to accommodate those placed under observation come amidst concerns of dwindling spaces in government hospitals.
District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan has said that all arrangements were in place at the care homes to deal with any exigencies. He added that more officials had been designated to coordinate the activities at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. With this, over 50 officers have been assigned the special purpose by the district administration.
According to official statistics, a total of 222 people were placed under observation in the district on Tuesday. In all, 1,584 people are under observation, including 680 under home quarantine.
The health authorities reported that 17 of the 30 samples collected from the primary contacts of the Italian, who tested positive for the disease, tested negative. The results of the remaining were awaited.
As many as 1,583 passengers were screened at the international airport, and 86 in the domestic terminal on Tuesday.
Passengers were also screened at the Thiruvananthapuram Central, Pettah, Nemom, Kazhakuttam, Kochuveli, Varkala, and Parassala railway stations; KSRTC Central bus station at Thampanoor; and at inter-State borders at Amaravila, Kozhivila, Uchakkada, Vellarada, and Karakkonam.
The district administration continues to receive plenty of calls from the public, seeking information. While 614 calls were made to the District Collectorate control room, the Disha call centre received 149 calls.
Reviewing the existing arrangements, the Collector expressed satisfaction at the steps being implemented . The administration has been receiving the assistance of public representatives, including MLAs, in this regard.
Currently, 18 squads have been operationalised to coordinate the activities. The Collector has also constituted an animal surveillance team to keep track of the possibility of a bird flu outbreak.
Travel flow-chart
Meanwhile, the district authorities released a partial travel flow-chart of the doctor of Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), who was diagnosed with COVID-19 two days ago.
The patient, who had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram in a flight (QR506) from Doha at 1.20 a.m. on March 2, went to Ulloor Gardens on the same day.
He had also gone to Hotel Bismi at Kumarapuram between 6 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. He is reported to have gone to Hotel Ambadi Kannan in the Medical College Junction at 7.30 p.m. on March 3; Hotel Bismi at Kumarapuram at 6 p.m. on March 4; and Thamarassery Churam, another restaurant, at 6 p.m. on March 5.
He visited Kunnil margin-free market at Medical College Junction between 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on March 8, Thamarassery Churam between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on March 10, and Kochi Peediya restaurant between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on March 11. Those who were present in these places during these timings have been advised to contact the authorities. Phone: 0471-2466828, 2730045 or 2730067.
