MALAPPURAM: Several top administrative officials, cops and other COVID-19 frontline warriors in Malappuram who were involved in rescue operations following the Kozhikode air crash tested positive for the virus on Friday. They include the Malappuram district collector, sub collector, assistant collector and district police chief.
Malappuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan who led the rescue operations at Kozhikode airport after the Air India Express flight crashed last Friday told The New Indian Express, "I show no symptoms and my health condition is stable."
As many as 22 officers working under the collector including a sub collector and assistant collector and their security personnel also tested positive for the disease. They have been under observation for COVID-19 since the rescue operations were completed on Friday.
The contact list of the top administrative officials may also include the VVIPs who visted the accident spot at the airport last Friday and Saturday. However, official confirmation of the contact lists of the administrative officials is yet to come.
The latest development has added to the worries of the health department which is also exhausted with continuous efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
Earlier, two Fire and Rescue Service personnel, who were involved in the rescue operation following the Karipur flight crash, tested positive for COVID-19. Their test results came out on Thursday.
On Thursday night, Malappuram district police chief U Abdul Kareem, who was also a big part of the rescue operations, tested positive for the disease. Kareem is currently under treatment for COVID-19 at the Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri.
He is suspected to have been infected through contact with his gunman who tested positive for the virus recently after the rescue operation.