Coronavirus scare in Kerala: Pathanamthitta on high alert, mass gatherings banned

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pathanamthitta district has been put under strict alert with the reporting of five positive cases of Covid-19 from Ranni. A massive search operation is on to track the people who have come into contact with these people who have been now tested positive.
“We have taken up the massive exercise to track those who had direct contacts with these people. Not just the direct contact, the secondary and tertiary contact people will also have to be found out.This exercise is expected to complete by today evening itself,” said P B Nooh, district collector of Pathanamthitta.

The worrying factor for the district administration is the fact that the three people who had come Italy had attended two weddings and also attended mass in two churches. It has also been found that they have travelled outside Pathanamthitta district. The people who had come to receive these three at Nedumbassery airport had come from Kottayam.
The district administration has constituted eight medical teams with seven members each comprising two doctors to conduct a house-to-house visit in the areas where the five positive cases have visited. “We have asked the medical teams to immediately shift people to isolation wards if they show fever symptoms or came into contact with these positive cases,’’ said the collector.
For this we have set up isolation wards in taluk and district hospitals. Medical teams from Alappuzha and Kottayam medical college hospitals have already reached Pathanamthitta to help the district administration.
All private hospitals in the district have been asked to report if they come across any suspected cases. A meeting of private hospitals has been convened to review the situation, the collector said.
The district administration has urged people, especially in the Ranni taluk, to avoid mass gatherings and public functions. It has also been decided to appeal to all political parties to avoid public functions in the district. “At present the situation is under control and there is no need to panic. All action plan is on to trace people. The district administration is doing its best,” the collector said.
Five control rooms have been set up in the district by the health department and the disaster management officials to provide support in case any emergency.
Control Room Numbers
DMO: 0468-2228220
Disaster Management Authority: 0468-2322515
Toll Free No: 1077, 9188293118, 9188803119