Panic gripped Chengalam village, near Kottayam, when a 68-year-old man who lived near the house of a COVID-19 infected couple died on Friday. He was serving an isolation period at his house when he developed uneasiness. He was declared brought dead at the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital. “His son had come into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient between February 29 and March 8. The youth was listed as a primary contact while his father was marked as a secondary contact,” said an official
However, post-mortem examination confirmed that the person did not have any infection-related illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. The death was attributed to occlusive coronary artery disease. Samples of his throat swab have been sent for examination and the results are expected in two days. The cremation would be held after taking precautions. His relatives have been asked to keep a safe distance from the body.
District Collector P.K. Sudheer Babu said stern action would be taken against those circulating on social media fake news regarding the person’s death. “Both the deceased and his son were under home quarantine and showed no signs of the virus infection. Hence, people should refrain from circulating messages that trigger panic,” the official said.
