For 57-year-old Roberto Tomasso who bid farewell to the State on Monday after recovering from COVID-19, ‘Kerala is safe.’
The Italian tourist was diagnosed with the infection on March 13 when he was at the hotel in Varkala after his second throat swab sample tested positive. Soon, he was shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital.
Contract tracing proved to be a difficult task for the district administration, considering the tourist had travelled extensively.
Nonetheless, a contact list comprising 126 people was prepared, following which they were all placed under quarantine.
Leaving nothing to chance, the Health Department constituted a medical board to monitor Mr. Tomasso. Besides having contracted the disease, he was found to suffer from other ailments. He was finally discharged on March 25 after his test sample was COVID-19 negative.
The government subsequently chose to place him under further observation at the Nedumangad District Hospital and the General Hospital. It was from here that he was sent off with warmth in the presence of Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, V.K. Prasanth, MLA, District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan, Mayor K. Sreekumar, and other officials. He also interacted with Health Minister K.K. Shylaja over video call. The Italian was also gifted an Aranmula ‘kannadi’ and other memorabilia.
“I have visited the country many times. Unluckily, I was affected with the disease this time. The doctors and nurses of all the three hospitals where I stayed took good care of me. I was provided good food and treatment. Once everything is over, I hope to come back. Kerala is in my heart and is a home to me,” he told media persons.
The tourist later headed for Bengaluru from where he will return to Italy.
