According to reports, her blood reports are tested postive for COVID-19 today morning. The woman from Coimbatore from Spain had returned to India a week back, due to COVID-19 threat. A week ago, she returned from Spain to Bangalore and then arrived to Coimbatore via train, last week.
Coimbatore: In a shocking news, the first COVID-19 poitive case has been reported in Coimbatore. A female patient is presently at the isolation ward at ESI Hospital, Singanallur.
According to sources close to the patient, her blood reports are tested postive for COVID-19 today morning.
The woman from Coimbatore from Spain had returned to India a week back, due to COVID-19 threat. A week ago, she returned from Spain to Bangalore and then arrived to Coimbatore via train, last week.
Though she was tested at the Bangalore airport she was allowed entry, as she did not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms. A couple of days later, she got information from her colleague in Spain that she was tested positive.
Immediately after knowing that her colleague was tested positive, she rushed to Coimbatore GH voluntarily stating her travel history and that one of her colleague in Spain has been tested positive. She was immediately shifted to the isolation ward in Coimbatore GH. However, due to various reasons the patient requested to shift her to ESI hospital.
On 19th March, her blood samples were taken and sent to King's Lab. While five others received their reports the next day, her reports showed pending status for the past three days.
The patient's close aids also say that while she was not having temperature nor any symptoms so far, she presented herself for tests voluntarily twice and tests and subsequently the reports were delayed in GH and ESI.
After she was informed by health officials of her being infected with COVID-19 today, the health officials have also called her parents to quarantine them and conduct tests.
The worrisome fact is that the woman has been with her parents for atleast 3 days before she was isolated at ESI hospital in Coimbatore. Before that she travelled by train to Coimbatore. And, later took a cab from Coimbatore railway station to reach her residence.
This is confirming our worst fears about the screening process as an asymptomatic patient has now been tested positive. The need for widespread compulsory quarantine of passengers from abroad is now a missed opportunity.
The warning for the citizens of Coimbatore and the larger public is that this patient is asymptomatic even now as per the patient. The State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar had tweeted that one traveller from Spain has been tested positive without dwelling any more details.
