Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is faced with the almost impossible task of tracking down all the secondary contacts of two coronavirus-affected circuits, which is threatening to throw the state’s so far efficient drive to contain the deadly virus out of gear.
The state has achieved significant success in isolating the virus-affected patients and their immediate contacts by isolating and treating them. But is faced with the prospect of failure in tracking down all those who came into contact with the patients in two circuits of Pathanamthitta and Thrissur before they could be isolated.
The state health authorities have published the route map of the Italy-returned 3-member family in Ranni that had managed to give the slip to the health counter at the Kochi airport, after which several people have called in seeking help in getting investigated.
The coronavirus protocol being implemented by the authorities demands that anyone suspecting the attack must contact the virus control system instead of volunteering to go to any hospital of their choice. Even in the case of the Ranni family, the problem was detected only when two secondary contacts visited the hospital after they fell sick.
But the family members had already visited several places, risking the virus to be spread to secondary and tertiary contacts. Health authorities in Pathanamthitta have identified over 900 people who happened to be at the places visited by the primary virus carriers.
The secondary contacts include drivers of the vehicle used by the family members, staff and customers at a number of bakeries and restaurants, bank branches, a post office and the office of the district superintendent of police, where the family had gone to seek the necessary clearance certificate for their return journey.
A similar case occurred in Thrissur, where a patient returning from Dubai was admitted in hospital for suspected attack, and was discharged after three days of observation. But later on the patient developed symptoms and has since been readmitted to hospital. The patient had meanwhile visited a number of places after he was released from the first round of observation.
District health authorities estimate that he may have interacted with at least a thousand people and tracking them down would be a most difficult task. The authorities are putting together a road map of his movement to help possible victims identify themselves as risky and seek proper remedy.
