NAGAPATTINAM: The district administration on Sunday revealed the identity of a doctor who tested positive for coronavirus with an appeal to the public to identify those who had contacts with him in the last three weeks. Dr C Kumarappan (73), a retired government physician cum private medical practitioner was tested positive.
District Collector Praveen P Nair said, "We are compelled to disclose the details of Dr C Kumarappan to trace and treat all those who had contacts with him.
We request the people who had met him, got treated by him, had a medical consultation from him in the past three weeks to come forward and contact us so that we can help in treating them."
A senior medical officer said, "So far, we have traced over 50 people, including his patients, family members, employees, neighbours and those who delivered essential items to his house. We do not rule out that a potential COVID-19 patient, from whom Dr Kumarappan may have got infected, is still out there. We want everyone who had met him to be tested and treated."
The physician Dr C Kumarappan was actively practising in his clinic named 'Malar Clinic' in Sattaiyappar Keezha Veedhi Street in Nagapattinam since his retirement from government services about 15 years ago. The clinic was closed around March 26. However, he had continued to treat patients who had come to meet him at his house in Kadampadi in Velipalayam for about two weeks.
Dr Kumarappan was admitted to Nagapattinam Government General Hospital last week after he showed symptoms of sore throat and difficulty in breathing. His blood samples were sent to Government Tiruvarur Medical College for testing, which came positive on April 9. Dr Kumarappan also gave the officials a list of people who had met him.
The district administration has requested the people who had met Dr Kumarappan to contact 9751425002 and 9500493022.