Coronavirus: Contacts of new patients in Ernakulam alerted

After returning from abroad, both had stayed at home without being in contact with other family members

March 23, 2020 01:23 pm | Updated 01:28 pm IST - KOCHI

Precautions taken: Security personnel wearing masks exit a special isolation ward set up to provide treatment to coronavirus patients at a Kochi hospital. File photo.

Precautions taken: Security personnel wearing masks exit a special isolation ward set up to provide treatment to coronavirus patients at a Kochi hospital. File photo.

The people, who were reported to have tested positive for the COVID-19 on Sunday, had already placed themselves under quarantine after they reached Kochi from U.K. and Dubai.

While the 21-year-old woman had reached Kochi from U.K. via Dubai and Chennai on March 18 in the 6E 298 flight, the 61-year-old man had reached Kochi on March 16 in the Dubai-Kochi flight AI 934.

Both had been at home without being in contact with other family members, according to the details gathered from the family. They had been wearing masks while communicating with the patients. However, the health team is trying to get more details about their contact with other family members.

Also read | Coronavirus lockdown: List of what will be affected and what will be available

As a preventive strategy, all the family members of the patients have been asked to remain quarantined.

In the meanwhile, the Health Department had traced all the passengers of the flight EK 532 that had arrived on March 18 and 20 and the EK 530 flight on March 20 as they had travelled with the COVID-19 positive patients, who are Kannur and Kasaragod residents, under treatment at the MCH, Ernakulam.

They have been asked to remain under quarantine and the information was passed on to the respective district authorities.

The district control room for COVID-19 on Sunday night received 248 calls, of which 144 were from the general public. Many calls were to thank the staff of the Health Department, the police and all other voluntary workers who are serving society in preventing and mitigating the spread of the disease.

Results of 10 more samples sent from the district were received on Sunday night. All were negative. Results of 70 more samples are awaited.

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