Kasaragod: The Kerala Police on Saturday registered a case against the Kasaragod native who was tested positive for the coronavirus. The case was registered against the individual for violating the district authorities strict orders on social distancing.
Meanwhile, the individual has accused the district collector of spreading false allegations about him. He insisted that he had answered all the questions posed by the authorities without holding back any detail.
On his return from the Gulf region, the COVID-19 patient participated in a wedding, and visited a football turf and other public places, despite displaying symptoms.
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. However, the man later detailed his travel history to the media.
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.
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.
With twelve more people testing positive for COVID-19 in Kerala on Saturday, the total number of coronavirus patients in the state have risen to 52. The number includes the three persons who were cured of the disease early this month. In India, the number of coronavirus cases crossed 300 on Saturday.
