ERODE: After 37 days of zero active cases, Erode district saw a resurgence of COVID-19 with one person testing positive for the infection on Friday. This brings the total number of cases here to 71. The 50-year-old male patient is undergoing treatment at an isolation ward in the Salem Government Hospital (GH) where he had gone for orthopedic treatment a couple of days ago.
Sources in the health department said that the patient is a resident of VIP Nagar in Kavindapadi in Bhavani and his wife and son have also been admitted to the Salem GH. Around 17 people near his residence have been quarantined and their throat swabs have been sent for testing.
Earlier this week, the patient had met with a minor accident while returning from Mevani near Bhavani. To get first aid done, he had visited a traditional healer and got the wound dressed. However, since there was no improvement, he had visited Kavindapadi GH and later went to Erode GH where he was directed to Salem GH for orthopedic treatment. He had gone to Salem GH in 108 ambulance.
"We have intensified the contact tracing activities. As per guidelines, currently the locality is not cordoned off as there are less than five cases. The health officers are monitoring the neighbourhood and disinfection is being done. We have asked the ambulance technicians and hospital staff with whom the patient had come in contact to stay in home isolation. Besides, it is also noted that the patient's son had returned from Chennai a few days ago and his test results are awaited," said Deputy Director of Health Services S Soundammal.
Salem GH authorities said that a COVID-19 test is mandatory for all patients who are to be admitted and all the health workers who were there in the orthopedic ward during the patient's visit have been asked to quarantine themselves at home.
It may be recalled that the district discharged the last batch of patients on April 28 with a 99 per cent recovery rate. As the district moved to a green zone, more lockdown relaxations were announced and normalcy was being restored. But with the fresh case emerging, the district moves to the orange zone. Earlier, the two COVID-19 clusters in Erode were of Thai natives, Delhi congregation attendees and their contacts.