Coronavirus: Families of home quarantined advised to postpone weddings

Thrissur: The Kerala government on Friday asked families of those who return from novel coronavirus-hit regions to postpone marriages inorder to prevent a possible outbreak of the disease in the state.

A day after a medical student from Wuhan tested positive for Coronavirus, the state government strengthened its resolve to check the spread of illness to others and directed those coming from China and other affected regions to strictly remain under home quarantine.

State Health Minister K K Shailaja, who is leading the fight against the disease, advised postponement of marriages in those families, where people came from the virus affected regions.

“Home quarantines are being done only as a precaution. No need to panic,” the Minister told reporters here after meeting the private hospital authorities to prepare them for facing the challenge.

She said family members of the people coming from the affected-regions should abide by the protocol.

“It is heard that in some such families, preparations are being made for marriages. There is no harm in temporarily postponing the date of the marriage.

There will be some difficulties in postponing the marriages fixed earlier. But this is a protocol. This must be obeyed,” Shailaja said.

Those who are home quarantined would be under observation for 28 days.

“Those who are going for job, they should take leave and be under observation. Health volunteers would be around to solve their problems,” the Minister said.

After holding a meeting with representatives of private hospitals in Thrissur district, Shailaja said isolation wards are being set up in such facilities and training programmes are being conducted for the health officials there.

She urged the people not to create panic in the society over the issue as it was meant to be managed diplomatically.

“We have taken all precautions in the district. People should not become restless,” the Minister said, instilling confidence among people.

Earlier in the day, Health authorities shifted the woman student, who tested positive for novel Coronavirus, from the general hospital to the Government Medical College here.

The medical college student from Wuhan University was shifted to an isolation ward set up in the Medical College Hospital in the early hours on Friday.

At least 1,053 people are under observation in the State as the Left Democratic Front government scrambled to tackle the emergency.

The toll in China’s novel Coronavirus outbreak has climbed to 213 with the number of confirmed cases totalling 9,692, China’s national authorities announced on Friday.