Three Thiruvananthapuram natives who returned from the United Arab Emirates tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Monday.
While one of them have been admitted to the Manjeri Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), the others are undergoing treatment in the capital district.
A 56-year-old man who hails from Madavoor was admitted to the Manjeri MCH soon after he landed at the Calicut International airport on a special flight from Abu Dhabi on June 3.
The man, who had fever and cough, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Abu Dhabi on May 26, a short while before he was set to embark on a flight. But he was permitted to travel later as another sample returned negative three days later. However, he was shifted to the Manjeri MCH upon his arrival, owing to his persistent cough, and was admitted to the observation ward there with 10 other patients.
The second patient, a 44-year-old man from Attingal, returned to Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai on May 29. While he spent seven days in an institutional quarantine facility in the city, he was permitted to go home on Sunday (June 7), two days after his throat swab was collected. However his sample tested positive for the infection on the same day and he was hospitalised.
The third patient is a 42 year old from Maranalloor. He reached the Thiruvananthapuram international airport from Dubai on May 28.
79 being treated
Currently, 79 patients, including seven Kollam natives, two from Alappuzha and one each from Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam, are being treated in the district.
Five Thiruvananthapuram natives are being treated in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Malappuram (two patients).
The district administration placed 742 people in quarantine on Monday, taking the total number of people being monitored to 14,181. Forty-seven symptomatic people were hospitalised.
Meanwhile, the City police registered a case against a person from Thumba for violating home quarantine norms. The accused, a driver who had returned after transporting migrant workers to West Bengal, was quarantined at Pallithura. He has been charged under the provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020 and the Kerala Public Health Act. Eight persons have violated quarantine norms in the city thus far.
Stringent action
The authorities have warned strict action against those violating quarantine norms in view of the high risk of community transmission, particularly with lockdown restrictions being gradually withdrawn.
Convening a review meeting, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said those found to be violating home quarantine would be arrested and subjected to legal action. He also ordered officials to paste stickers on houses where persons were in quarantine.
The City police also registered petty cases against 133 people for failing to wear masks outdoors.