The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus depot in Angamaly near here has been shut after a conductor who was on duty on routes passing through Angamaly, tested positive for coronavirus in his home town in Malappuram on Tuesday.
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The conductor, a native of Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, developed symptoms on June 28 and his test results returned positive late on June 30 at Malappuram. He was on duty on the Aluva-Angamaly-Chalakkudy bus route on June 23, 24 and 25.
Since 11 trips are made daily on the route, he had worked on at least 33 trips in three days, said K.M. Jaleel, District Transport Officer at Angamaly. He took the Angamaly-Thrissur superfast bus on June 26 at 11 a.m., and then made the onward journey from Thrissur to Pattambi by KSRTC bus and then to Perinthalmanna via a private bus.
He is receiving treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri.
The source of infection is not confirmed, but he might have come in contact with a conductor on the Guruvayur-Angamaly route who had tested positive on June 28, health officials said. The contact list is prepared considering those who might have come in contact with the patient two days before he developed symptoms, said a health official.
The contact tracing process is under way and those who might have come in contact with him from June 25 onwards, are being advised to go into quarantine, the official said. This would include passengers, the driver and conductor on the Angamaly-Thrissur superfast on June 26, and those on the Aluva-Chalakkudy bus route on June 25. So far, the conductor has informed officials that he had been in close contact with four persons, including three conductors.
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Fire and rescue services personnel would disinfect the premises on Wednesday, temporarily suspending services from the depot and all halts at the bus stand. Services from Angamaly were likely to resume on Thursday, Mr. Jaleel said.
