Six more persons from Kollam, all expatriates who travelled on IX-538 Abu Dhabi-Thiruvananthapuram flight on May 16, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Monday. While three of them have been admitted to the Government Medical College, Parippally, others are undergoing treatment at General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
The patients in Kollam, including a 40-year-old person from Chandanathoppe, a 42-year-old from Chirakkara and a 30-year-old from Thrikkaruva, have been quarantined at KILA Centre for Socio-Economic Development, Kottarakara, since May 16 night. Reportedly, some of them underwent rapid testing twice at Abu Dhabi, which is very unusual, and were given permission to fly at the last moment. They were immediately shifted to GMC, Pariapplly, after they revealed the results of rapid test conducted at Abu Dhabi.
The persons who were shifted to medical isolation in Thiruvananthapuram include a 44-year-old from Pathanapuram, a 40-year-old from Ezhukone and a 57-year-old from Parippally. “From the airport, they were shifted straight to the hospital with minor symptoms.”
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Asymptomatic
“The three who travelled to Kollam were asymptomatic and their samples were collected after they told officials that they tested positive in the rapid test at Abu Dhabi,” said an official.
With this the total number of COVID-19 patients from Kollam currently undergoing treatment has reached eight.
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The Health Department has traced a total of 1,032 primary contacts and 794 secondary contacts of the patients.