Initial reports suggest that three of the Kerala residents had returned from Italy on February 29 and two of their relative contracted the virus.
Thiruvananthapuram| Five of a family in Kerala have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of infected people in the country to 39. Three in the family had recently visited Italy, one of the nations that reported the most cases of coronavirus.
State Health Minister KK Shailaja said the family did not share their travel history at the airport and were not screened.
“They also refused to be hospitalised initially and we had to persuade them,” the minister said.
Among the five people — all residents of Pathanamthitta district — who tested positive are a couple in their 50s and their 26-year-old son. All five have been admitted to the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation.
“On returning, the family met some relatives. It was the relatives who approached a hospital with symptoms and they were isolated. Two of the relatives have tested positive. The family which travelled to Italy was also isolated later,” the minister said.
The condition of all five is said to be stable. Two are below 30 years of age and three between 50 to 60 yrs.
In Italy, the death toll from coronavirus rose to 233 on Saturday while the number of infections climbed to 5,883. It has recorded the most deaths outside China and is the third-most coronavirus infected after China and South Korea.
Health minister Shailaja said the three persons failed to inform health officials of their return from Italy and warned people of action for failing to report themselves after returning from a foreign trip. The test results came on Saturday evening, she said.
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Total COVID-19 cases in India:
Kerala: Eight positive coronavirus cases. Three of the five new patients travelled from Italy, two were in contact with them. Three others who were previously infected have been discharged
Ladakh: Two persons tested positive. They have a travel history to Iran
Tamil Nadu: One person, who has a travel history to Oman, has contracted the disease
Delhi: Three confirmed cases. One of the infected persons has travelled from Italy, another from Malaysia
Agra: Six family members of a Delhi patient tested positive
Rajasthan: Sixteen Italian tourists in Jaipur and one Indian who accompanied them got the infection
Ghaziabad: One man who returned from Tehran contracted the disease
Telangana: One who tested positive has Dubai travel history, Singapore contact
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