A man wearing a surgical mask makes a child wear one outside the government general hospital in Thrissur (AP Photo) A man wearing a surgical mask makes a child wear one outside the government general hospital in Thrissur (AP Photo)

India’s first coronavirus positive patient, currently admitted to the isolation ward at the Thrissur Medical College in Kerala, is on her way to recovery, a top source within the state health department confirmed Monday.

A swab sample of the patient, sent for testing at the virology institute in Alappuzha, had come back negative, indicating that the viral infection has worn off. However, the source added that the same sample has been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for a double-check. This is done in conjunction with the established health department protocol. For the patient to be discharged, a third swab sample has to turn up negative, he said. Follow Coronavirus outbreak LIVE Updates

The patient, a medical student who had arrived in Kerala from the virus epicentre of China’s Wuhan city, is stable and doing well. Two other patients, who had tested positive for coronavirus and are currently in Kasaragod and Alappuzha hospitals, are stable as well. All three of them had travelled together.

The health department said Sunday that 3218 people were still under home quarantine in the state and another 34 people admitted to various hospitals in the state. A total of 326 out of the 345 samples sent for testing at NiV, Pune had come back negative. The rest of the test results are pending. The test results of those who had arrived in Kochi by a special flight from China’s Kunming are also negative, the department confirmed. The most number of people under home quarantine are in Malappuram district (410 people), followed by Kozhikode (386) and Ernakulam (379).

Those who have spent 28 days under home quarantine must get in touch with doctors at the local primary health centre or hospital to confirm the completion of the safety period. Though the incubation period of the virus is 14 days, Kerala’s health department is considering 28 days as the minimum period for quarantine and surveillance.

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