BAGALKOT: Health authorities have been grappling with the question as to how the septuagenarian of the town who succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday had contracted the novel coronavirus. The mystery has deepened as the man had no travel history in the recent past and both his son and daughter tested negative for the virus.
Initially, health officials had suspected that the 75-year-old man might have contracted the virus from his children who had returned home from Bengaluru as he had not been in contact with any known infected person. However, the test results of one of his family members were awaited. Nine members of the family have been kept in isolation at a designated hospital in the town, even as the area around the house of the COVID-19 victim is declared a containment zone.
Health officials started a survey of the entire wards 7 and 14 of the town and collected throat swab samples of three people, who were in contact with the man and sent them to Bengaluru for laboratory tests. As many as 50 medical teams would continue screening of the residents of the locality till April 15, District Health Officer Dr Desai said on Saturday.
“A survey is being carried out in old Bagalkot town. We have screened over 6,300 people in a single day. The son and the daughter of the victim have tested negative and the result of another member of the family is awaited. We are also urging people to voluntarily approach the government hospital if they were in contact with the victim. We believe the source of infection is in the same area.” According to the evening bulletin released by the district administration, out of the 28 samples collected, 17 tested negative and one (the deceased man) positive. While nine results were awaited, the officials could not decide whether to send the samples of one person to laboratory.