Coronavirus: 3-Year Old Tests Positive In Kerala, Count Across Country Rises To 40

A three-year-old child in Kerala has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Monday. The child and its parents who had reached the Cochin International Airport Limited at 6 am on March 7 from Italy were subjected to thermal screening at the universal surveillance system established, officials said.

Detecting symptoms of coronavirus in the child,they were immediately referred to isolation ward of the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital, they said.

The samples of the child sent for examination at the NiV lab at Alappuzha have tested positive for Coronavirus, they said.

The samples of the parents have also been sent for lab test, the officials added.

Five fresh coronavirus cases, including three who evaded screening on return from Italy, were reported in Kerala, prompting the government on Sunday to sound a renewed alert and warn action against those hiding travel history to affected nations.

Earlier on Sunday, five people from Kerala were tested positive for coronavirus. Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said all the five hail from state's Pathnamthitta district. The patients have been isolated in Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation. According to reports, three of them had returned from Italy while two others who tested positive for the virus are their relatives, the Health Minister added.

According to the health minister, the three, a couple and their son, had evaded health screening at the airport on their return about a week ago and all the five hail from Ranni in Pathnamthitta district.