Kerala reported its first coronavirus death, with a patient under treatment in the Ernakulam Medical College losing the fight on Saturday morning.
The man who had come from Dubai on March 16 was in isolation at home but on March 22 he developed signs of pneumonia, following which he was admitted to the hospital. The 69-year has had a history of heart ailments and high blood pressure. His infested wife is also under treatment in the same hospital.
The first coronavirus death in the state has caused concern among the health authorities, but they say this does not show any change in the status of coronavirus infection in the state, although the condition of some more patients is stated to be causing concern.
The body of the dead man will be buried as per the prescribed protocol for deaths from virus attacks and will not be handed over to the relatives. They were shown the body on a video wall.
The driver who picked up the man from the airport and brought him home has also tested positive to the virus and is under treatment. Some 40 people who interacted with the driver are also under observation. Also under observation are the fellow passengers of the Emirates flight taken by the infested man. The apartment building where he stayed and the surroundings have been disinfested by health workers.
Meanwhile, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has signed the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020, which gives the state government more powers to control the spread of the disease. Under the ordinance, the government can shut down the borders, control the public and private transport facilities, issue guidelines for social restrictions and control or ban public gathering at public places or religious institutions.
It can also modify the working of government offices, educational institutions, private firms, factories, shops, workshops, godowns among others as well as impose time restrictions on essential services.
