MALAPPURAM: Clearing the air around the Covid-19 infection of a 34-year-old pregnant woman who recently returned from Kuwait, which was widely reported as the first relapse case of the infection in Kerala, health authorities said she could not be considered a recovered case. As per the health records of the Alappuzha native, she was under treatment for Covid-19 in Kuwait and later tested negative there. However, before a repeat test was conducted, she got a chance to return to India.
“The woman cannot be considered a recovered case. A person can only be declared as recovered after at least two consecutive samples test negative. She tested negative only once in Kuwait,” said Malappuram DMO K Sakeena. There might be many reasons for the woman becoming positive in Kerala. Experts opine that she might have travelled to the state with the infection. The nurse landed in a special flight at Calicut airport on May 13.
The health authorities appreciated her for not hiding the history of Covid treatment in Kuwait. “Considering her history, we admitted her to the isolation ward of the Government MCH, Manjeri,” Sakeena said.K V Nandakumar, superintendent of the MCH, said a detailed study should be done to confirm whether the case is a relapse or reinfection.
“The patient’s health condition is stable now,” he said. The woman travelled with 192 expatriates to Kerala. Of them, six have shown symptoms of Covid-19. The information from the Health Department suggests that some people with the infection have also received permission to travel to the state from other countries. In a recent case, a pregnant woman and child (natives of Malappuram) returned from Kuwait in a special repatriation flight at Kochi airport on May 9.