Kasaragod: Authorities here in northern Kerala are up against a major challenge as they try to trace the likely contacts of a Gulf-returnee who was found positive for COVID-19 a few days after his arrival. So far the contact history of the infected person belonging to Kerala's Kasaragod district remains inconclusive even as a tentative route map has been prepared.
The health department prepared the route map after persistent questioning. The man claims he travelled through Kozhikode, Kasaragod and Kannur districts. Efforts to find out his likely primary contacts during the trips over a few days are still on as is required under the medical protocol.
As per the initial estimates, as many as 3,000 people are likely to have come in contact with this person, a native of Eriyal.
The person is currently at the isolation ward of the Kasaragod General Hospital.
Though he was questioned several times and informed about the gravity of the situation, he is reportedly not giving clear details.
Adding to concerns, reports say that he had even donated blood in Mangaluru.
He also reportedly attended a funeral at a relative's house at Thaliparambu in Kannur. Around 20 people who directly came in contact with the infected person at the function have been isolated. However, the Kasaragod district administration has not been able to find out his exact route map. It is even alleged that the affected person is concealing several details.
Based on the information received, the health department made some enquiries and found that he had been to Kannur. An investigation led by the Kannur District Medical Officer helped identify the 20 primary contacts. The Health department warned that the number of primary and secondary contacts can rise.
Arrival on March 11
The person arrived at the Kozhikode International Airport on March 11. He then reportedly stayed at a lodge in the Kozhikode city and is said to have visited several shops, including gold jewellery store. But the health department alleged that the person is not giving more details about these shops.
The next day, he boarded the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore Maveli Express and travelled in the S9 compartment. He reached his home in Kasaragod in the morning and stepped out after resting for a while.
He went to a kin's house at Manjathaduka, where wedding preparations were on. He then visited the houses of friends.
He spent bulk of his time at the house at Manjathaduka on March 13 and 14. Though the wedding festivities were at 4pm, he was at the house from morning onwards. In the following days, he took part in a child's naming ceremony, football match, and another wedding at Adoor. Here also, he came in contact with several people. He even shook hands and hugged two MLAs who have already gone under self-quarantine.
He also went the business establishments and gold shops in the city.
He reportedly had fever when he landed in Kerala, but did not seek treatment immediately. He went to the Kasaragod general hospital only after a Kallanad native tested positive for COVID-19.
Hospital authorities said that they had asked him to get admitted to isolation ward while his body fluids were being taken for examination. However, he said he would return if the illness aggravated. After the results tested positive, the health department got him admitted to the isolation ward the other night.
A former autorickshaw driver, the person has several friends and is said to have met with all of them.
MLAs under home quarantine
As reported earlier Kasaragod MLA N A Nellikunnu and Manjeswaram MLA M C Kamrudheen have been isolated as it emerged they came in contact with this COVID-19-infected person.
N A Nellikunnu said that he had met the patient at the Manjathaduka house on March 14 and shook hands with him. "I was there at the house for only 5 minutes. I did not have food. The function was at 4pm. But to avoid large gatherings, I had gone early and wished the groom and family.
"I got to know of the incident only yesterday after coming across photos of the patient along with me. I then decided to quarantine myself at home. Health department officials had called. I underwent tests at the hospital. Though I had to take part in a meeting at Thiruvananthapuram after March 14, I did not go," he added.
The MLA also said that he had been to several parts of his constituency and a Kasaragod guesthouse.
Legislator Kamrudheen said that he had shook hands with couple of people at Eriyal on March 18. He said that he had cleansed his hands with a sanitiser soon after. He said that he came to know that one of them was infected only on Friday and that he has been under home quarantine.
The guesthouse has been shut as Kamrudheen and Nellikunnu had visited the guesthouse on March 17 and 19, respectively. Seven of the personnel here have been put under observation.
Festival organisers booked
Meanwhile, the police have filed a case against the office-bearers of the Sree Krishna Temple at Trichambaram near Thaliparambu for organising a festival in which several people took part. They allegedly did not pay heed to the police instruction to avoid large gathering.
The temple had held the ritual from 2.30pm to 4pm instead of at 6pm as the police had instructed. However, as a large crowd had assembled, the police said they filed a case against 60 people.
Half of the 12 new COVID-19 cases reported in the state on Friday came from Kasaragod district. With these cases, the total number of cases in Kerala touched 40.
