Health dept traces contacts of Covid-positive cops

KOCHI: The district health authorities have succeeded in tracing the contacts of the two Covid-positive civil police officers of Kalamassery police station and placed them in quarantine. According to the district surveillance team, constant contact is maintained with each of the contacts. “Both the officers had been deputed for duty in Covid care centres which had foreign-returned patients. We have traced all their contacts and their swab samples are being collected on priority basis. If anyone develops symptoms, we will immediately initiate further action,” said  Sreedevi S, additional district medical officer (ADMO), Ernakulam.  

Since the Covid positive persons and their colleagues hailed from the same place, the tracing process was relatively easy, said the officer. “Compared to many other cases, the process was less difficult this time. We traced their colleagues, relatives, neighbours and friends who had direct contact with them. All the contacts are being monitored regularly. As an additional measure, we separately quarantined their families in a Covid care centre,” the ADMO said. 

As one of the officers had visited the High Court to hand over the statement of facts, the surveillance team has traced those contacts as well. “The officer interacted with a security officer and handed over the file to another High Court  staff. However, the High Court  judge and other staff went in quarantine voluntarily. Besides, the High Court officials have disinfected the premises as per the Covid protocol,” said  Sreedevi S. Earlier, 59 police personnel of Kalamassery  station had been quarantined at a Covid care centre in Edakochi.

One more hotspot in district
The 12th division of Vengola grama panchayat was declared a Containment Zone by the Ernakulam district collector on Saturday. The second police officer who tested positive hails from the area. The hotspot restrictions came into force from midnight.