Kerala's third covid casualty a corona+ infant

Kochi: A four-month-old baby, who was under treatment for Covid-19, died at the Government Medical College in Kozhikode on Friday morning. It is not clear from where the infant got virus infection.

This is the third COVID-19 death and the first infant fatality in the state where two elderly people had succumbed to the disease earlier.

Though a Mahe native died at government medical college hospital, Kannur on April 11, it has not been included in Kerala’s tally as he was from Puducherry.

The baby with serious heart defects since birth and growth problems was initially taken to a private hospital in Manjeri with breathlessness. She was then shifted to another hospital after developing pneumonia, and again to Kozhikode government medical college on April 21, according to reports by regional media.

According to the hospital authorities, the baby’s condition was very critical as it had other serious medical complications, reports added.

Swab samples of the baby’s parents have been sent to test and the results are expected by today evening.

Five doctors at the two private hospitals where the infant was treated initially have been quarantined.

Ten new Covid-19 cases were reported from Kerala on Thursday. Eight patients have been recovered and discharged from the hospital.

Four cases have been reported from Idukki and two from Kottayam which had no coronavirus cases in the last few weeks and were included in the green zone. Kozhikode reported two cases while Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam have one new case each.

Of the 10 new patients, four recently travelled to neighbouring states while two are foreign returnees. Four persons got virus infection through contact.

Talking to media reporters chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that no community spread has been reported from anywhere in Kerala though the risk is still there as many Tamil Nadu villages bordering the state have a very high number of infected persons.

 “Reviewing the current situation in the state, four districts Kozhikode, Kasargod, Kannur and Malappuram will remain as red zone areas while all other 10 districts will be in Orange zone where there will be partial relaxation in lockdown norms. But, areas identified as hotspots in each panchayat, municipality and corporation will be completely sealed,” the chief minister added.

The total number of confirmed cases in Kerala is 447 with 129 active cases and 316 recovered patients.