THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a huge relief to around 40 people, the result of the COVID-19 test conducted on a man -- suspectedly suffering from the virus and who had been injured in an accident at Punalur on Sunday after fleeing home quarantine -- turned out to be negative. However, he will be under surveillance for 28 more days until the final result is obtained, said a health department source.
About 40 persons from Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, including the driver of the ambulance and passers-by have been in surveillance for the past 24 hours since they were engaged in trauma care.
The man had also undergone emergency surgery on Sunday evening at the Thiruvananthapuram MCH.
Besides, those who took part in the rescue operations following the mishap are feeling mighty relieved at the outcome.
The doctors and staff present at the casualty ward and operation theatre, who were advised to go on leave earlier, will be asked to rejoin duty, a source said. The person hailing from Punalur had been advised to remain in home quarantine by a team from the MCH after he flew in from Saudi Arabia 10 days ago.
However, he had ignored the advice and went on an outing with his wife and two-year-old child on Sunday evening when they met with the accident.His wife and child are under treatment at the SAT hospital near the MCH.