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Coimbatore: A day after the district reported its first case after a lull of eight days, it saw the first Covid-19 death on Sunday. It was also a day when four more people were tested positive for the virus. With this, the total number of cases reported has gone upto 146.
An official source identified the deceased as a 44-year-old cancer patient from Kavundampalayam who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday. He has been suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia and died at the Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital in Chennai, where he has been undergoing treatment.
Of the four new cases, one is a 31-year-old pregnant woman from Saramedu and the remaining are members of a family on Baba Street in Venkitapuram. All of them have been admitted to the ESI Hospital. Their source of infection is yet to be traced. Their family members, including those who have tested negative and those yet to be tested, have been isolated. The public health department cordoned off Baba Street, Union Post Office Road and Saramedu on Sunday to contain local transmission.
A health department official said the family in Venkitapuram was isolated on Saturday. While there were four of them, only three tested positive for the novel coronavirus. They comprise a 62-year-old man who runs a shop in the area, his 43-year-old wife and 10-year-old son. The man’s nine-year-old daughter has tested negative. To be on the safer side, she has been isolated in the ESI Hospital. All the four are asymptomatic, said K K Pudur primary health center officials.
Referring to the source of infection, the health official said the family is yet to divulge their travel history. “The man apparently brought his family to the district from Malappuram in Kerala on April 30 after acquiring a pass. He has mentioned visiting Madukkarai and places in Saibaba Colony. Last week, I attempted to take his family back to Malappuram in a vehicle on the pretext of some medical emergency, but officers at Walayar check post stopped them and sent them back, demanding a pass. ”
The family subsequently applied for inter-state travel pass, for which Covid-19 test is a must. G Ramesh Kumar, deputy director of public health, said, “It was when they took the test, three of them were found to be infected.”
Public health department officials sprang into action on Sunday, cordoning off Baba Street. They also tested their close neighbors, and everyone above 60 or with comorbidities. By afternoon, they collected more than 120 samples from the area and 100 or so samples from Union Post Office Road. “We collected at least 257 samples and tested the children, mother-in-law and other close family contacts of the cancer patient, who died today,” the official said.
The 31-year-old pregnant woman was, meanwhile, tested positive when she went to KG Hospital to get admitted for delivery of her second child. Her tentative delivery date is May 22. The hospital had taken samples from her and sent that to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, which found her to be infected. She was subsequently shifted to the ESI Hospital on Sunday.
A senior corporation health officer said, “Her husband, mother’s family and first child have been asked to remain in isolation. We will test them on Monday. While there is no clear source of infection, she had apparently frequented her mother’s house in Podanur, which is vulnerable right now, with cops and many residents testing positive. ”
The patient, who died, had on April 25 gone to CMCH, where he underwent treatment till April 30. CMCH dean Dr Kalidas said they have disinfected the ward he was in and decided not to use it for the next two days. The 108 ambulance that ferried him has also been disinfected and won’t be used for three days. “We have collected samples from 30 doctors and staff who were in contact with him, the ambulance driver, nine of his contact and his assistant.”
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An official source identified the deceased as a 44-year-old cancer patient from Kavundampalayam who tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday. He has been suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia and died at the Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital in Chennai, where he has been undergoing treatment.
Of the four new cases, one is a 31-year-old pregnant woman from Saramedu and the remaining are members of a family on Baba Street in Venkitapuram. All of them have been admitted to the ESI Hospital. Their source of infection is yet to be traced. Their family members, including those who have tested negative and those yet to be tested, have been isolated. The public health department cordoned off Baba Street, Union Post Office Road and Saramedu on Sunday to contain local transmission.
A health department official said the family in Venkitapuram was isolated on Saturday. While there were four of them, only three tested positive for the novel coronavirus. They comprise a 62-year-old man who runs a shop in the area, his 43-year-old wife and 10-year-old son. The man’s nine-year-old daughter has tested negative. To be on the safer side, she has been isolated in the ESI Hospital. All the four are asymptomatic, said K K Pudur primary health center officials.
Referring to the source of infection, the health official said the family is yet to divulge their travel history. “The man apparently brought his family to the district from Malappuram in Kerala on April 30 after acquiring a pass. He has mentioned visiting Madukkarai and places in Saibaba Colony. Last week, I attempted to take his family back to Malappuram in a vehicle on the pretext of some medical emergency, but officers at Walayar check post stopped them and sent them back, demanding a pass. ”
The family subsequently applied for inter-state travel pass, for which Covid-19 test is a must. G Ramesh Kumar, deputy director of public health, said, “It was when they took the test, three of them were found to be infected.”
Public health department officials sprang into action on Sunday, cordoning off Baba Street. They also tested their close neighbors, and everyone above 60 or with comorbidities. By afternoon, they collected more than 120 samples from the area and 100 or so samples from Union Post Office Road. “We collected at least 257 samples and tested the children, mother-in-law and other close family contacts of the cancer patient, who died today,” the official said.
The 31-year-old pregnant woman was, meanwhile, tested positive when she went to KG Hospital to get admitted for delivery of her second child. Her tentative delivery date is May 22. The hospital had taken samples from her and sent that to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, which found her to be infected. She was subsequently shifted to the ESI Hospital on Sunday.
A senior corporation health officer said, “Her husband, mother’s family and first child have been asked to remain in isolation. We will test them on Monday. While there is no clear source of infection, she had apparently frequented her mother’s house in Podanur, which is vulnerable right now, with cops and many residents testing positive. ”
The patient, who died, had on April 25 gone to CMCH, where he underwent treatment till April 30. CMCH dean Dr Kalidas said they have disinfected the ward he was in and decided not to use it for the next two days. The 108 ambulance that ferried him has also been disinfected and won’t be used for three days. “We have collected samples from 30 doctors and staff who were in contact with him, the ambulance driver, nine of his contact and his assistant.”
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