Questions still remain over index patient of Poonthura

Thiruvananthapuram: While active cases in the district have soared by over 400% in two weeks, the rate of recovery has slightly picked up with 489 persons testing negative in the same period. Of these, the most number of persons tested negative in the days following the government-amended discharge policy and declared that antigen tests shall be used for determining discharge criteria. A total of 399 persons were declared recovered since July 21 in the district. The amendment in discharge criteria was issued on July 21. The district has two persons, who were admitted on June 28, still under treatment.
The fish merchant whose positive result triggered mass testing at Poonthura and enabled the district team to discover more coastal clusters was discharged in 10 days and he was tested negative in less than five days. He was admitted to Medical College on July 1 and his swab results were negative on July 5 and he was discharged on July 10. The family has expressed reservations about him being regarded as index patient in Poonthura as per the report of clusters prepared by health department. The report mentioned that he was the source of infection for 13 other cases. It was added that he engaged in fish auction at Kumarichantha and used to visit many other households.
The family has been trying to get in touch with the medical officials at district administration to clear the air. According to them, seven members in their family tested positive while some other members who had accompanied the fish merchant to hospitals the previous week and those who had closely associated with him during trips to Kanyakumari harbour never tested positive. They said there was so much confusion even in the manner of admission and discharge of other persons in the family as well. The wife of the index patient was shifted to hospital and her results were declared negative on the same day, July 7. Four of the family members were taken to General Hospital on July 5 evening for swab collection and they were sent back home with direction for room quarantine on July 6 early morning. The family members said there has been lack of communication regarding results of those who were tested. While one person was told that result was antigen negative, results had been delayed for other persons.
In the meantime, the health department mentioned in the report that the fish merchant was the index case and that he was source of infection to 13 other persons. The family said they have a right to know how exactly the health department arrived upon such a conclusion. They said around the same time when the fish merchant was tested positive at a private hospital, there were a few other symptomatic persons. They also ruled out some of the contacts of the fish merchant as claimed by health department.
Three days after he was tested positive, a person at Paruthikuzhy was declared as positive and as contact of fish merchant; a point which is being denied by the family of fish merchant.