68-year-old woman from Puducherry's Mahe tests positive for COVID-19

Her family members have been quarantined and their samples would be sent for testing.
People wearing masks as a precautionary measure to avoid coronavirus. (Photo | EPS)
People wearing masks as a precautionary measure to avoid coronavirus. (Photo | EPS)

MAHE (PUDUCHERRY): The union territory of Puducherry registered it's first COVID-19 case after a 68-year-old woman from Mahe region tested positive on Tuesday. Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mohan Kumar told reporters that the woman hailed from Chalakkara in Mahe.

She was on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and landed at the Kozhikode airport on March 13 from Abu Dhabi (UAE). At the airport she was advised to report to Kozhikode Medical College. The authorities there asked her to remain in isolation for 14 days. Later, she was quarantined at the Government General Hospital at Mahe after she developed symptoms of COVID-19, Kumar told The New Indian Express.

Her throat swab samples were sent for testing. Her blood sample was sent to Alappuzha virology lab and the result this afternoon was positive for COVID-19, Kumar said, adding, her family members have also been quarantined and their samples would be sent for testing, he said.

Ignoring the warnings, the patient roamed at will

KANNUR:  It seems that, the guidelines and messages issued in the public interest are not reaching the people or they are generally being ignored at the risk of other people’s health. The patient, who was tested positive on Tuesday, from Chalakkara, near Mahe, had slipped out of Beach Hospital, Kozhikode, even after the patient was asked to be in the isolation ward.

Earlier, she was received by two of her relatives at Karippur airport on March 13, and had hired a taxi to reach Mahe.  Since, she was asked by the health department to go straight to a hospital from the airport, they went to Mahe general hospital and from there they went home.

As the person felt a bit feverish in the night, they informed the health department about this and the person was taken to Kozhikode Beach hospital in the ambulance of Puducherry health department. At the beach hospital, the patient  was asked to be admitted in the isolation ward.

But, from there, the patient gave a  slip to the people guarding the ward and sneaked out of the hospital. Around 9 PM, took an auto and reached Kozhikode bus stand. From there reached the house at Chalakkara.

But, the neighbours intervened on 14 morning, and the person was admitted to the isolation ward of Mahe General hospital. The swab samble was taken and sent for testing. The result came on Tuesday evening.

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