2 days crucial for Kerala as numerous COVID-19 tests awaited

Thiruvananthapuram, March 10 (IANS) Kerala health authorities are waiting with bated breath as numerous tests results for COVID-19 are expected to come on Wednesday.

The worst affected districts include Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam, where there are six positive coronavirus cases patients quarantined.

Five positive patients are at the Pathanamthitta district hospital and a three year old child is at Kochi.

20 patients are in isolation at Pathanamthitta, including a two year old child, while about a dozen are at Kochi, besides eight at Kollam and a few others at Kottayam and the tests results of these people are expected tomorrow evening.

On Monday night, a person in isolation ran away in Pathanamthitta, however, authorities traced him and brought him back to the district hospital. Now a police guard has been posted there.

If the tests results which are expected tomorrow turn negative, then the health authorities can breathe easy and can safely assume that things are well under control.

Pathanamthitta District Collector P.B. Nooh said that from now on people who do not follow the guidelines of the state government, they will be proceeded under the Public Health Act and action would be taken.

"We have so far identified 733 people who have had primary and secondary contacts with the five patients who are positive. And today my job is to locate the people who came under contact of the person, who jumped out from the hospital. Such irresponsible behaviour won't be tolerated anymore," said a peeved Nooh, who has been working day in and out for the past three days.

At Pathanamthitta, especially in places, like Ranni, the streets wore a deserted look and at the main bus station of the 75 private buses , only 45 have operated, Tuesday morning.

"There are hardly anyone coming to shops and we opened today because there is no point sitting at home," said a shopkeeper at Pathanamthitta.

All educational institutions in the district have been shut for three days. It has also been advised that marriages be postponed as part of avoiding gatherings.

The Pathanamthitta district court has been closed for regular cases. Only urgent cases are being taken up for the week.

Meanwhile on Tuesday around 13 lakhs students studying in Class X,XI and XII across the state have their board examinations and at Pathanamthitta, two students who had direct contact with one of the positive patients have been given a separate classroom to write their board examination.

State Police chief Loknath Behra has directed crack down on misuse of social media in connection with coronavirus. Even those who would forward false messages be dealt with and based on this directive, four cases have been registered for playing foul in the social media.

The Pinarayi Vijayan government is holding a special cabinet meeting, Tuesday to take stock of things and with the final examinations to be held later this month.

They are contemplating whether to give an all pass result to all students in Class 1 to 10 and this could happen, depending on the results of patients which will be coming tomorrow.