PATHANAMTHITTA: The district administration has formulated an action plan to tackle the emergency after five persons from Aythala in Ranni-Pazhavangady panchayat in the district were tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
After a review meeting with various government department officials, District Collector P B Nooh told media persons here on Sunday that efforts are being taken to track those came into contact with the three-member family and their two relatives, who were tested positive for the virus.
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For this, eight seven-member teams, each comprising two doctors, were formed. On collecting the list of persons from them, health officials will check the health conditions of those who had direct contact with the affected persons.
Health portal hacked; Shailaja says no files lost
State Health Department’s eHealth website has come under the attack of hackers even as the state is maintaining alert to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
The hacking by a cyber group ‘GhostSquadHackers’ came to the notice of the authorities on Sunday morning.
As soon as the matter came to the attention, the cyber experts roped in by the Health Department blocked the portal and took remedial measures.
Health Minister K K Shailaja said no data has been gleaned from the website by the hackers.
Public functions cancelled in Ranni
The residents of Aythala, the native place of the COVID-19 confirmed cases, in Ranni-Pazhavangady panchayat are exercising caution after the incident.
The Sunday services in churches in Ranni, including Aythala Knanaya church and two Pentecostal churches in the area, were cancelled in the aftermath of the COVID-19 cases.
The public functions and gatherings in Ranni town and nearby areas were also cancelled.
In Pathanamthitta, the four-day Catholic convention to be held at the District Stadium here from March 13 has also been cancelled.
11 people from thrissur found to be co-passengers of COVID-19 affected
Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar on Sunday said that the health officials have found 11 people, who travelled in the same flights in which the COVID-19 confirmed patients of Pathanamthitta came back, to be from various parts of the district.
Of the 11, six have been identified as high risk cases. The medical board here will send the swab samples of the high risk cases on Monday for the test.
A meeting was held in the presence of the minister, chief whip K Rajan MLA, District Collector S Shanavas, DMO K J Reena and other officials on Sunday to review the preparations.
The collector will convene a meeting of tourist bus operators and travel agencies to create awareness about the present situation.
Three of a family shifted to isolation ward
As part of containment measures against the COVID-19, the district wing of the Health Department has shifted a family of three, who accompanied the coronavirus-infected family to Pathanamthitta from Nedumbassery airport, to the special isolation ward at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam.
Meanwhile, another person is in an isolation ward set up at a private hospital as well. The Health Department authorities collected medical samples of the persons and sent them to National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha.
The authorities also directed all the people, who came to close contact with this family, to go on home isolation. Meanwhile, the total number of persons in home quarantine has touched 83 in the district on Sunday.
Five from Punalur taken to MCH
Five people from the district suspecting COVID-19 are under surveillance at Parippally Medical College Hospital and their samples have been taken for further tests.
Of these, three persons from Punalur are relatives of the five from Pathanamthitta who have contracted the disease.
“The samples of their relatives and two neighbours have been collected. Persons who were in direct contact with the Pathanamthitta family are likely to get admitted in the isolation ward,” said DMO V V Shirley.