Coronavirus in Kerala: Patient's condition stable, says health minister

Coronavirus in Kerala: Patient shifted to Thrissur Medical College
The isolation ward at Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital

Thrissur: The Kerala girl, who was tested positive for novel Coronavirus (nCov), has been shifted to the Thrissur Medical College for better treatment and care.

Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said that the patient's condition is improving. "Those admitted to hospital with symptoms are not critical," she said.   

Shailaja requested people who returned from China to report at the nearest health centres, and urged them not to attend public functions, including marriages.  

The girl was first admitted and kept under isolation at the Thrissur General Hospital.

The minister and her team reached Thrissur on Thursday night and assessed the situation. She has also called for an emergency meeting of representatives from the private hospitals.

As many as 1,053 individuals, including the 247 brought under surveillance on Thursday, are under observation for for Coronavirus in Kerala. Among this, 15 people are under treatment in hospitals and the rest are quarantined in their homes.

The highest number of suspected cases are in Kozhikode: 166. Close behind are Malappuram (154), Ernakulam (153) and Kollam (100) and Thiruvananthapuram (83). Least cases have been reported from Idukki (14) and Wayanad (16).

Coronavirus in Kerala: Patient shifted to Thrissur Medical College
Health Minister K K Shailaja (left)

The girl, who had tested positive in the preliminary test, was one of the four Malayali medical students returned from China's Wuhan, the epicentre of the Coronavirus attack. All the four medicos from Wuhan University had reported to the hospital with a sore throat. The results of the other three are yet to come.

The student came back to Kerala before the travel restrictions were in place. The student has been under observation since then.

The health ministry officials have now begun contact tracing of the patient. This involves tracing whoever the student was in touch after she came back to Kerala. Once identified, they would be counselled and home quarantined. If needed, they would be isolated in the hospital.

The minister said self-reporting of those who returned from China is of paramount importance. “The virus can spread in the body even without showing any symptoms. So it is important that anyone who had returned from China should report to the Health Department. At least they should inform the nearest medical officer. Some like the students in isolation in Thrissur have voluntarily reported but others have not. It were certain suspicions that led health officials to them. We don't want a situation where a case goes unreported in Kerala,” the health minister said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there is no need to panic, but urged people to be cautious. "People who came back from China should appear for screening test. It is important to check the spread of the disease. The health department is equipped to tackle the situation," he said.

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes.

Outside China, Hong Kong and Macau, other countries with confirmed cases include Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Canada, the United States, United Arab Emirates, Australia (two new cases reported on Thursday), France and Germany.

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