VELLORE: A 49-year-old priest who had recently visited the UK has tested positive for COVID-19 and is undergoing treatment at the CMC hospital in Vellore. His wife who accompanied him on the trip, however, tested negative.
After the priest tested positive, Barneespuram in Katpadi, where his house is located, was sanitized by workers from the Vellore Municipal Corporation, health department and TN Fire and Rescue Services personnel.
Officials said that the priest’s health parameters are normal. “He was already kept under quarantine by the district administration. Now, he is fully cured and ready for discharge,” district collector A Shanmuga Sundaram said on Saturday.
The priest and his wife had started their return journey from London on 16 March via Dubai before landing in Chennai airport in the wee hours of 17 March and returned to Katpadi in a cab, sources said.
Since then, they had reportedly remained indoors at their house before being admitted to the CMC Hospital on 24 March.
An official team swung into action as soon as the test results were received to trace their contacts.
“So far, we have traced eight contacts. They include the cab driver, the patient’s father, brother and five neighbours,” an official said. Two of them are children under three years.
The authorities of the revenue, police and health departments and Vellore Municipal Corporation have locked down Barneespuram, besides pasting quarantine notices. All inmates of neighbouring houses have been warned against stepping out and were assured of the supply of essential goods.