A 19-year-old girl student who came from Delhi, who has been quarantined at her home in Pandalam, has tested positive for COVID-19 taking the total number of clinically confirmed cases in the district to 14 on Sunday.
The girl has been admitted to the isolation ward at the General Hospital here. The clinical examination results of the throat swab and blood samples of the girl came as a shock to the Health authorities here as she did not have any symptom of the disease.
There were also reports that the girl had travelled in the same train that carried a group of people returning from the controversial Tabligh Jamaat meet held in Nizamuddin. As per the route map of the infected girl released by the district administration, she reached Ernakulam in the Mangala Express (Seat No: 55, Coach - S9), from Nizamuddin in Delhi, at 10.15 a.m. on March 17. From there, she took an autorickshaw to the Ernakulam North railway station and reached Chengannur station by the Sabari Express (general compartment) by 4.45 p.m.
She reached home in Pandalam by a KSRTC Venad bus by 5 p.m. She has been home quarantined since then, official sources said. District Collector P.B. Noohu said that those who were present at these places during the time specified in the girl’s route map should contact the Health authorities at 9188297118 or 9188294118.
Serious concern
District Medical Officer A.L. Sheeja said the girl student testing positive for COVID-19 even after 21 days of quarantine raised a serious health concern and hence all those who have been placed under quarantine should compulsorily observe quarantine for 28 days.
Meanwhile, the clinical examination results of 176 throat swab and blood samples received from the Virology Laboratory in Alappuzha on Saturday and Sunday were negative. The results of 200 samples are expected in the coming days. Eight persons have been cured of their disease so far in the district.
