A total of 18 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the districts of Coimbatore (6), Salem (10), Namakkal (1) and Dharmapuri (1) on Thursday.
In Coimbatore, a 10-year-old girl from Peelamedu, who recently returned from Chennai with her mother and four-year-old brother on a flight, tested positive.
While swab samples of the girl’s mother and brother collected by the Health Department staff on arrival at Coimbatore airport returned positive, the girl tested negative. A repeat test was done and she was found to have contracted the disease, said Health Department sources.
The girl was admitted to a private hospital where her mother and brother were under observation.
A 39-year-old woman and a 29-year-old woman from Vadavalli also tested positive. The two women were close contacts of a patient who had returned from Chennai. They were admitted to the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital. A 37-year-old woman from Olympus near Ramanathapuram, close contact of a patient who returned from Villupuram, was another person who tested positive. She was admitted to ESI Hospital.
A couple from Peelamedu, a 37-year-old man and his 32-year-old wife, were the two others who tested positive. The man had returned from Chennai on June 6. They were also admitted to the ESI Hospital, said sources.
As per the COVID-19 media bulletin issued by the Health Department on Thursday, there were 20 active COVID-19 cases in Coimbatore district which included domestic and imported cases. The total number of persons tested positive for the disease so far was 170 as per the bulletin.
In Salem, 10 new positive cases were reported on Thursday.
According to health officials, the patients have travelled to Salem from Chennai, Krishnagiri and Chengalpet and they are undergoing treatment at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital here. Officials said four patients, who were undergoing treatment, were discharged on Thursday.
A 49-year-old lorry driver, who had returned to Namakkal from Chennai, tested positive on Thursday. The patient is undergoing treatment at the Namakkal government medical college hospital.
In Dharmapuri, a 35-year-old woman from Papireddipatti tested positive. She has travelled to the district from Chennai and she is undergoing treatment at the Dharmapuri government hospital. A 35-year-old man, who was undergoing treatment, was discharged on Thursday.