Coronavirus: Two cases confirmed in TN; count touches 39 in India

With a second person testing positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu, the total number of infected people in India has reached 39. Earlier five people in Kerala were confirmed positive for coronavirus.

Addressing the media on Sunday (March 8), Kerala health minister KK Shailaja said, “Five new positive cases of coronavirus have been admitted to the isolation wards. Out of which, three people had recently returned from Italy due to which two more got the disease in Pathanmathitta district.”

According to NDTV, the patients had earlier refused to be hospitalised and the officials had to persuade them.

“We are tracing their contact history. They are under medical treatment. People coming from other countries should show responsibility and get a medical checkup done as they reach India,” she added.

Related news: TN reports first case of coronavirus; 2 test positive from Ladakh

Assuring that necessary steps were being taken, the minister also requested people not to panic. She also said the situation was under control, and requested people suffering from fever and flu to not take part in Attukal Pongala, which is a women’s festival in the state’s capital Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

On Saturday, Tamil Nadu confirmed the first case of coronavirus with a 45-year-old man who had travelled to Oman testing positive. The resident from Tamil Nadu has been kept in isolation at RGG Hospital in Chennai for observation.

Two other cases of coronavirus were confirmed in India on Saturday from Ladakh.

The residents who tested positive in Ladakh had travelled to Iran, which is the second most-infected country after China. All three people are said to be in a stable condition.