Coronavirus confirmed cases in India reaches to 39

New Delhi, Mar 08: The total number of people who have tested positive for novel coronavirus in India stands at 40 with one more person reported positive in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in the day, five more people from Kerala, three with recent travel history to Italy, have tested positive for coronavirus following which the state has been put on high alert, Health Minister K K Shailaja said on Sunday.

The three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district, she said. "As of now their condition is stable. But there is need to take extra care", the minister said.

As a matter of abundant caution, two nonagenerian members of the family will be shifted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital, she added.

The three, who had returned from Venice, had not informed authorities that they had come back from Italy. When two of their relatives had sought treatment at private and taluk hospitals with virus symptoms, the health authorities came to know about the travel history of the people who returned to Italy. They had evaded screening at the airport and were reluctant to get admitted at the hospital initially, she said adding they had at first refused to cooperate with health officials and were forcefully admitted to the isolation ward of the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation.

They were admitted to hospital on March 6 and their tests had been confirmed on Saturday night, she said.

"The Italy-returned family hid their travel details from the health authorities. Such practises have to seen as a crime. Those who come from countries like Iran, Italy, South Korea and China should report to the health department immediately," Shailaja said.

The government also released the flight details of the three persons who travelled from Venice. They took the Venice-Doha Qatar airlines QR 126 flight on February 29 which reached at 11.30 pm. For one and half hours they were at the Doha airport and took another Qatar Airlines flight QR514 to Kochi and arrived at 8.20 am on March 1 and took a private car to their home at Pathnamthitta district.

All the passengers who travelled in the two flights should get in touch with health authorities, the minister said. The report of the five new cases comes a day ahead of "Attukal Pongal" festival in Kerala on Monday when thousands of women from various parts of Kerala and outside, including foreigners are expected to participate. There need not be any concern with regard to Pongala. But persons showing any symptoms of the virus should keep away from the ritual, she said.

Devaswom officials would be asked to ensure that people with fever or any other symptoms do not participate in the festivity. Medical stall and ambulances will be stationed near the temple complex. "Video clippings of the festivities would also be taken," the minister said.

Earlier, India's first three positive cases had been reported from the state. All the three patients, medical students from Wuhan, have been treated and discharged from hospitals.

The fixed dose combination of anti-HIV drugs- Lopinavir and Ritonavir - has been used with other drugs in China with varying results, but not in India yet.

Two suspected coronavirus patients undergoing treatment at a hospital were 'high viral-load cases', the Jammu and Kashmir administration said on Saturday, while announcing an immediate suspension of all biometric attendance in the Union territory.

The administration also announced the closure of all primary schools in Jammu and Samba districts till March 31, an official spokesperson said.

The two patients with a travel history to coronavirus-hit Italy and South Korea had fled the hospital's isolation ward on Wednesday shortly after their admission, but were brought back within hours.

Their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The government appealed to the public to fully cooperate wherever quarantine was advised.

Meanwhile, q 45-year-old man tested positive for Coronavirus on Saturday, making him the first person in Tamil Nadu to be reported of having the disease.

A resident of Kancheepuram, he had returned to India from Oman and is currently in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai.

His symptoms included a fever and cough. When he started developing difficulty breathing he consulted a doctor and was referred to a hospital in Chennai.

When his uneasiness persisted, he was moved to the isolation ward in the RGGGH on Wednesday. His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing soon after and the results were received on Saturday morning.