A day after five persons in Pathanamthitta district tested positive for COVID-19, the Health officials in Kottayam are on their toes trying to address the concerns raised by the public.
Officials with the District Medical Office here on Monday urged the public not to be panicky as no one from the district had tested positive for the disease till Monday. “The three persons who had spent more than four hours with the COVID-19-infected family in a car, are yet to test positive for the disease. They are under close observation and until tested positive, they pose no threat to others who came into contact with them,” said Jacob Varghese, District Medical Officer, Kottayam.
Meanwhile, the authorities have shifted the elderly parents of the virus-infected family in Pathanamthitta to the Government Medical College, Kottayam. With this, the number of persons in the special isolation ward here has become seven. Officials are now awaiting the test results of swab samples collected from the patients for further action. One person is in isolation in the district general hospital and another in a private hospital.
One person who was in isolation at a private hospital has tested negative for the disease. As of now, 91 persons have been put under home quarantine as part of the preventive action. Officials are verifying a report by the Directorate of Health Service (DHS) that just over 20 persons from the district had been on board the Qatar Airways flight in which the COVID-19-affected family landed here from Doha on February 29. If found true, this points to the fact that more passengers had left the airport without subjecting themselves to medical screening,” said a senior official. Two persons aboard the flight are under home quarantine.
High price of masks
A team led by Additional District Magistrate Anil Oommen on Monday launched a drive against shops and medical stores selling masks and hand sanitisers at exorbitant prices. The district has been witnessing a panic sale of the products ever since the confirmation of five COVID-19 cases in Pathanamthitta.
Holiday declared
The Kottayam District Collector has declared a holiday for all educational insitutions in the district on Tuesday. However, all examinations will be held as per schedule.
