Kerala govt puts 45 Italy returnees under observation

Stepping up efforts to check the spread of coronavirus in Kerala, the state government has sent at least 45 people who returned here from COVID-19 hit Italy to various health facilities, official sources said on Wednesday. While 35 people including two children and two pregnant women have been shifted to a Government district hospital in Aluva, 10 suffering from fever and breathing problems have been admitted to the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital, they said.

Samples collected from them have been sent for examination at the National Institute of Virology lab in Alappuzha, they said. All 45 had arrived at the Cochin International Airport here on Tuesday from the European nation.

Meanwhile, the Ernakulam district administration has decided to arrange more facilities at more government hospitals to keep under observation those who are expected to arrive here from foreign countries like Italy in the coming days. The government decided to scale up efforts after three people from Pathnamthitta district returned from Italy on February 29.