Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)
Kasargod, Feb 3: “Precautions are being taken as Coronavirus has been detected in the district. A Kasargod based student of Wuhan University getting infected by the virus is confirmed. Eighty people are being monitored in Kasargod. The blood samples of five of them have been sent to Pune laboratory. The virus was found in one of them. The laboratory report of the remaining four is awaited,” said deputy commissioner D Sajith Babu.
An emergency meeting under the leadership of the deputy commissioner was held in the afternoon on Monday in this connection and precautionary measures were discussed. Health department and other concerned officials took part in the meeting and discussed the need to be taken to prevent spread of the disease.
Addressing media on Monday, February 3, the DC said, “Thirty-four isolation wards have been opened. Eighteen of them are opened in district hospital. Twelve isolation wards and four wards are opened in private hospital. Call centres that function for 24 hours in a day is opened each in Kanhangad district hospital and deputy commissioner’s office. Fifteen sub committees are formed in the district. Those will report to the deputy commissioner every day at 4.30 pm. Ambulance facility is provided in the district general hospital in case of emergencies.
“A third case of the virus is detected in Kerala. The virus was earlier found in Thrissur and Alappuya based students. All the three students are the students of Wuhan University in China and are classmates.
“The current patient is admitted to Kasargod district hospital and is under treatment. The patient is recovering in the isolation ward of the district hospital. He had returned from Wuhan to Kasargod recently.
“While the virus was detected among three students in Kerala, about 2,000 people are being monitored in various hospitals in the state. The first Corona virus victim was found in Thrissur on January 30. The second victim was found in Alappuya on February 2. The third case is found in Kasargod now. Strict precautions are being taken.
“The district administration has directed that those who arrived from China after January 15 should mandatorily undergo medical tests and the report should be submitted to it,” he said.
The blood samples of 104 people have been sent to the laboratory so far. State health minister K K Shailaja has said that more than 1,900 people are being monitored. The ministry has said that those who were with the infected patients may also be affected by it.
“The infected people should sleep separately at home for fourteen days. Their mouths should be covered with cloth when they cough or sneeze. The family members and others should keep distance from them,” informed the health officials.