Third positive coronavirus case confirmed in Kerala, patient stable

The third case of coronavirus has emerged from Kerala's Kasaragod district. With a similar background as the first two cases, this patient is also a student from Wuhan and is currently admitted in an isolation ward at a hospital in Kanjangad in the district.

Kerala Health Minister, confirming the report of the Wuhan-return student, said, "The patient is stable. The sample test result on the infection arrived today morning. Two other coronavirus positive patients are in Thrissur and Alappuzha Medical Colleges."

Following the second case in India which was reported yesterday, at least 1,793 people are under surveillance at homes across Kerala and 70 have been admitted to isolation wards at hospitals. Three others were in isolation at the Medical College in Alappuzha and the results on their blood samples were awaited. The Virology Institute in Alappuzha, that was set up in the aftermath of the Nipah virus, began testing samples from yesterday.

The novel coronavirus infection that first broke out in Wuhan, China, has spread to 25 countries so far. At least 361 deaths and 17,205 cases of the virus have been reported from China. The Philippines Sunday reported the first death reported outside China, news agency AFP had reported. Meanwhile, experts suggested that the spread of the virus is now likely to become a pandemic that circles the globe, NYT reported. A pandemic is an ongoing epidemic— on two or more continents — may well have global consequences, despite the extraordinary travel restrictions and quarantines now imposed by China and other countries.

(inputs and image from theindianexpress)