Three men arrested for spreading false info about coronavirus case in Kerala
THRISSUR: Three men have been arrested for spreading false information on social media about the coronavirus in relation to a medical student who is in an isolation ward here after testing positive for the novel virus.
The Kerala government said her condition is satisfactory.
The young woman is a student of Wuhan University. She is being treated at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital.
"The health status of the student who tested positive for coronavirus remains satisfactory. The hospital authorities have confirmed that the health condition of all symptomatic persons in isolation is stable," a bulletin said.
Kerala health minister K K Shailaja told reporters here that the three arrested men had been spreading false information about people who had returned to Kerala from China and are under home surveillance as a measure to contain the virus. Six others had forwarded the posts and the state’s cyber crime cell is probing the matter.
Police named the three men as Sabari -- arrested on Friday and released on bail -- Shafi and Siraj. Two cases have been registered in two police stations in Thrissur in this connection, they said.
The minister had earlier warned that strong action would be taken against those putting out false news on the disease.
A medical bulletin issued by the state government said that till date, 1793 people who had returned from coronavirus-affected countries have been identified and put under medical surveillance. Seventy of them are in select isolation facilities and 1,723 are being observed at home.
So far 39 samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing, of which 23 samples were negative, it said.
A 24x7 control room has been set up in the state, and a minimum of two hospitals with isolation facilities have been identified in each district to host surveillance cases.
The nCoV sample testing facility at NIV’s Alappuzha Unit will be functional from February 2.
The bulletin advised those who have recently arrived from the corona-affected countries to remain under strict home isolation for 28 days from the date of their arrival in India, whether or not they have symptoms.
The government has advised all people to adhere to health advisories and follow the cough etiquette by covering their nose and mouth with handkerchiefs/towels while sneezing and coughing. Frequent hand washing with soap and water is necessary.
A release from the chief minister's office said coronavirus clinics would be opened at the Medical college Hospital and General Hospital in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
A round-the-clock district control room would also be set up.
Special surveillance will be launched to monitor those coming to the state via the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
The release said that of the total 1,793 under observation, 268 are in Kozhikode, 238 at Ernakulam, 265 in Malappuram and 156 in Kollam districts.
