THRISSUR, India — India’s first Covid-19 patient, a medical student who tested positive on her return from the Wuhan University in China last year, has tested positive for the Covid-19 infection again.
The first case in the country was reported from Thrissur district in southern Indian state Kerala on Jan. 30, 2020, when the student tested positive after returning from Wuhan, where Covid-19 is believed to have originated.
“The student tested positive in an RT-PCR test conducted before a journey this time,” K.J. Reena Thrissur, District Medical Officer, said.
“But she does not have any symptoms this time around. So, she is in home isolation. Last time, she had symptoms.”
Meanwhile, on July 12, Thrissur reported 1,092 Covid-19 cases, the highest in the state, followed by 780 cases in Kozhikode, 774 cases in Kollam, 722 cases in Malappuram, and 676 cases in Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala had 7,798 Covid cases on July 12, and there are 1,11,093 people under treatment in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Kerala on July 16 to discuss the Covid-19 situation.
“The world is witnessing the third wave of Covid-19,” said V.K. Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog, at the press conference. “We’ve to join hands to ensure that the third wave doesn’t hit India.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly said that we should focus on keeping the third wave at bay instead of discussing when it would come in India,” said Paul.
NITI Aayog retweeted the press conference recording where Paul can be seen addressing the steps taken by the Prime Minister.
“A further surge in cases is being noted in some states, like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh,” Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary of Union Health Ministry, said.
“We would like to request to everyone that, when we talk about the third wave [of Covid-19], we are taking it as a weather update and not understanding its seriousness and our responsibilities associated with it,” he said.
Agarwal also highlighted that the Centre had deputed teams in 11 states to help the governments in Covid-19 management.
“Besides northeastern states, the teams have been sent to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Odisha, as they were reflecting a growth trajectory,” he said.
Meanwhile, India reported 31,443 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the lowest daily cases in 118 days, informed the Union Health Ministry on July 12.
India’s active caseload of Covid-19 cases is at 4,31,315, the lowest in 109 days.
(With inputs from ANI)
(Edited by Amrita Das and Pallavi Mehra. Map by Urvashi Makwana)
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