A 14-year-old child who turned positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday has put the health department and district administration on high alert.
In order to prevent the disease from spreading, the administration has decided to lock down Kannur town and Payyambalam area comprising three divisions of the Kannur Corporation from Thursday. The two geographical areas will be treated as containment zones.
There was, however, no official communication on the number of days the lockdown would last.
The child who was being treated for high fever at a private hospital for the past four days, was admitted to the Kannur Government Medical College on Tuesday, said Dr.Shaj, District Surveillance Officer.
The body fluid test of the boy proved positive for the disease, following which the decision was taken to lock down Kannur town and Payyambalam, he said.
According to District Medical Officer K. Narayanan Nayak, the child had contracted the disease through contact and the team was trying to trace the source.
“We have to find out if any of the family members has the disease or anyone with the virus has visited their place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the condition of a 28-year-old driver in the Excise department who tested positive for the virus on Tuesday and admitted to the Kannur Government Medical College, remains critical.
