‘My daughter more disturbed over medical education rather than COVID’

The father of India's first COVID-19 patient from Kerala has said that his daughter is more worried about continuing her medical education rather than bothering about COVID-19.

He was speaking to IANS over the phone and said that his daughter is not inclined to talk to anyone at present.

The student who was studying at a medical college in Wuhan city in China and was the first person to test COVID positive in the country on January 30, 2020 on her arrival at her hometown Thrissur from Wuhan.

Her father also said that she is pursuing her medical education by attending some coaching classes in Thrissur. The girl is however unsure as to whether or when she will be able to return to Wuhan and her college.

Dr K.J. Reena, District Medical Officer, Thrissur told IANS: "There were a large number of students from Thrissur district and we had a gut feeling that someone from this district would test positive before any other place and it became true but not only for the first time in Kerala but in India."

The district medical officer also said that the girl student from Wuhan had come with a sore throat and slight fever and the hospital conducted her tests and the sample was sent to National Virology Institute, Pune.

Dr Reena said, "Every one in the medical fraternity and government including the health minister were regularly in touch with us after the girl tested positive and she had to undergo several tests and she may be the most tested patient. She also had to spend many days in hospital as protocol was different those days."

There were three other students from Thrissur but none tested positive other than this girl, the doctor said. However her classmate from Alappuzha and another person who was in the same flight and from Kasargod tested positive.

Another final-year medical student in Wuhan, hailing from Kanhangad in Kasargod district, is also worried as he could not get back to his college.

Final-year student said: "I am now worried as to how I will complete the course. Online classes are on but we have practicals and I am in regular touch with the college authorities but I haven't received any reply from them".

He had tested positive on February 3 after he landed from Wuhan and was admitted in the ICU of a nearby hospital for 13 days continuously. He said: "I have already informed Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja and other authorities of my woes."