A Kerala panchayat put in total isolation after a resident dies of COVID-19

The 68-year-old man in Thiruvananthapuram, who tested positive for coronavirus, died on Monday night.
A Kerala panchayat put in total isolation after a resident dies of COVID-19
A Kerala panchayat put in total isolation after a resident dies of COVID-19
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All residents of Pothencode panchayat on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram have been put in total isolation after one of the residents there died of COVID-19. The 68-year-old man, who tested positive for coronavirus, died on Monday night while he was in isolation at the Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram.

Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran has urged the natives of the panchayat and those living in areas bordering Pothencode — Andoorkonam Panchayat and Kattayikonam Division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation — to be in complete isolation. The isolation will be in place for three weeks.

The minister has also said that those who had come in contact with the 65-year-old from March 1, should inform the authorities.

“The direction is to strictly follow the lockdown and not to step out, except for essentials,” the Minister told TNM, adding that this is a peculiar situation and that everyone needs to act accordingly. 

The minister had held a meeting with the representatives of the local bodies concerned on Tuesday.

As of now, it has not been traced how the deceased contracted the virus as he had no recent travel history to any place outside Kerala. It is yet to be ascertained if the person had come in contact with an infected person. Health Minister KK Shailajan told the media on Tuesday that there has been information that he had come in contact with many who returned from the Gulf countries. 

“Everyone who had come in contact with the person within two-three kilometre radius of Pothencode will be under surveillance. If anyone develops symptoms in three weeks, their swab will be sent for examination,” Kadakampally Surendran said. 

The police have also given direction to examine the passports of the people in the area to check if they had a travel history to the virus-affected regions.

Route map

The man had attended various funeral services and a mosque for several days in the panchayat. 

On March 2, the 65-year-old man had attended the wedding of a relative at Rajasree auditorium in Pothencode. The same day, he had also visited the Sub-Treasury office located at the Medical College Junction, which is in the city, and then attended the funeral of a relative at Nagoor Mansil Kabaraddi.

On March 6, the man went to Juma Masjid at Vavarambalam, Pothencode. Five days later, on March 11, he attended another funeral at Nagoor Mansil and on March 13, he went to Juma Masjid Vavarambalam.

On March 17, he went to Ayirooppara Farmers' Service Co-operative Bank, and the next day, attended another funeral at Koithoorkonam in the panchayat. It was on March 18 that he visited the Primary Health Care Centre (PHC) Thonnakkal with symptoms. However, details of his visit to the PHC is not known yet.

But he went to Juma Masjid Pothencode on March 20, and attended a funeral at Vavarambalam. He visted the PHC again on March 21. 

 He went to a private medical college hospital at Venjaramoodu on March 23 but was referred to the Medical College Hospital. He was in the isolation ward there.

According to an official release, the man died at midnight on March 31. This is the second death due to COVID-19 in Kerala.

As on Tuesday, there are 9 COVID-21 positive cases in Thiruvananthapuram.

Also Read: Data: How south Indian states have been testing for COVID-19

 

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