Kochi: Public and authorities in Kerala are aghast as a British tourist's reckless act has compromised the multipronged efforts to curb the further spread of coronavirus in the state.
Prompt response by the Ernakulam District Collector prevented his bid to flee from the country apparently to avoid mandatory isolation for those suspected and proven positive for coronavirus. The events that unfolded at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery on Sunday was unprecedented after the Collector called for urgent action to hold the flight and isolate the sick tourist and his compatriots.
Around Sunday noon the Briton, who tested positive for the coronovirus the previous evening, was offloaded from a Dubai-bound Emirates flight along with several tourists accompanying him as soon as the Ernakulam Collectorate was alerted by the Idukki district administration.
It was at 8:45 am on Sunday, the authorities at the Ernakulam District Collectorate received information from their counterparts in Idukki that a British tourist, who tested positive for coronovirus, planned to take the Emirates flight at 9 am and then proceed to London. It was also conveyed that the infected tourist had fled from a resort at Munnar.
Unprecedented action
However, Ernakulam Collector S Suhas' immediate intervention helped prevent the flight from taking off with the infected British tourist just 15 minutes before the flight’s take-off. He quickly issued instructions to halt the flight. By the time the airport received the message, even the boarding of the crew had been over.
As he rushed to Nedumbassery from his camp office at Kochi, the Collector gave instructions to offload all the passengers of the flight and carry out primary medical checks.
The British tourist, who was accompanied by his wife, was moved directly to the ambulance. He was rushed to the isolation ward of the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, hectic discussions were held to decide about other passengers. The Collector also spoke with the Kerala Chief Minister and Health Minister over the phone.
Meanwhile, Minister V S Sunil Kumar, who is in charge of the Ernakulam district, also reached Nedumbassery. Urgent discussions were held with Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) Managing Director V J Kurian, SP K Karthik and security forces such as the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Steps were taken to put the 17 of the British tourist group under observation at a hotel in Nedumbassery.
Arrangements were also made to put another person, who was not part of the group, under home quarantine.
When the flight finally took off with 270 passengers, it was 12.47 pm, over three hours delay.
The decision to let the flight commence its journey was taken after the screening details were shared with the airlines and Dubai airport authorities.
However, the task for the district administration and health department did not end with this. Their next step was to find out those who interacted with the infected person at the airport. The airport and CISF personnel were also quarantined.
Simultaneously, steps were taken on war-footing to disinfect the airport and aerobridge. The terminal was ready to welcome passengers by 3pm after the cleaning process using sodium hypochlorite solution was completed.
The Collector also gave instructions to check the CCTV images and identify those who interacted with the affected. The health department would monitor these people as well.
