Nilgiris sees 7 more Covid-19 positive cases; reopens sealed police station

UDHAGAMANDALAM: A day after Kolakombai police station and a revenue inspector’s office in Coonoor were sealed suspecting Covid-19 cases among some staff, they were disinfected and reopened on Friday as the staff were tested negative for the virus. The district, meanwhile, reported seven new positive cases, taking its tally to 56.
There were reports that seven police personnel and two home guards attached to the Kolakombai police station in Coonoor taluk had tested positive for the virus on Thursday. The district special branch said all the nine have tested negative.
Similarly, the test results of the official with the revenue inspector’s office have also turned negative for the infection.
Nilgiris collector J Innocent Divya said both the facilities were sealed “as a matter of abundant caution in view of spike in positive cases”.
The new cases comprise six primary and secondary contacts of the public relations officer (PRO) of a private needle manufacturing company who tested positive for the infection a few days ago and a 65-year-old resident of Kandal area in Ooty with frequent travel history to other districts.
Of the 35 active cases in the district, four are being treated the Ooty government hospital.
The district has tested 14,317 samples so far. Dr P Balusamy, deputy director, public health, said, “About 600 samples are collected daily for testing. The PRO has visited many offices. There are 750 employees in that person’s company alone. The contact tracing is still on.” The PRO hasa reportedly infected 17 people.
“If a containment zone is densely populated, more tests will be conducted there,” another health official said.
Reiterating that there was no panic situation in the district, she said they had intensified contact tracing of patients and tracking of suspected Covid-19 cases. “Of course, the number of positive cases is increasing, and we are in that phase of the pandemic. We can come out from the current situation as people are very cooperative.”
The Ooty government hospital has, meanwhile, started treating asymptomatic Covid-19 patients. “Presently, asymptomatic patients with less morbid conditions are being treated at the Ooty government hospital. They are being monitored in the ward as there isn’t any special protocol to be followed,” the collector said.
The district administration has asked health secretary for trained physicians to handle Covid-19 ward in hospital. “People need not panic as the hospital is located at the centre of the town. We have taken all the biosafety measures,” Divya said.
According to her, suspected cases would also be admitted to the government hospital, where they would be tested for the virus. “The hospital has 35 ventilators. If there is a surge in cases, we have enough facility,” she said.
Symptomatic patients would, however, be sent to the ESI Hospital in Coimbatore.