In the wake of the rising number of novel coronavirus cases in Kerala, Kasaragod Collector D Sajith Babu on Wednesday, March 25, said the virus had spread from Patient 2 to four of his primary contacts within just 20 minutes.

Patient 2, who had returned from Dubai, had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 16. After giving his swabs for testing, he was advised to be under home isolation. His mother, wife, and child, who met him for twenty minutes before he isolated himself tested positive on March 20, reported The News Minute.

Along with his family members, a friend who had picked him up from the airport has also tested positive. Patient 2 and all his contacts – Patients 4,5,6 and 7 – are admitted to isolation wards in the district.

The district is also awaiting test results of the contacts of Patient 3 – 47-year-old Eriyal native and businessman who had returned from Dubai. The patient had attended several clubs, three weddings, a funeral in Kannur and multiple public events, coming into contact with over 1400 people.

Kasargod is the worst-affected district in Kerala with at least 41 cases of the virus. The district has been under lockdown since March 21.

‘Our doctors will tell us who to test and whom not to test. We do not have 13 lakh test kits here, but we do not need to test each and every person,’ the collector was quoted as saying by the media.

The Collector also warned of strict action against those who were found on the road.

‘All volunteer services are banned in the district. We do not want anyone coming out of their houses and on to the roads to help us. If we want volunteers the district administration or the Collector will inform volunteer groups,’ he said.

As of Wednesday, Kerala has reported 118 cases of COVID-19. At present, 76,542 people are under surveillance in the state. Of this, 532 are in various hospitals across the state and rest under home isolation. Meanwhile, of the 4,902 samples tested, 3,465 has returned negative.

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