Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan has opted to self-quarantine as he recently visited the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram where a doctor has been tested COVID-19 positive on Sunday.
Even as hospital authorities maintained that the Union Minister never came in contact with either the doctor found infected or any others in isolation and hence there was no risk for him, the minister opted for self-quarantine as there were suspicions that some officials who took part in the meeting on Saturday were on contact with the infected doctor.
Sources in the BJP alleged that the minister's office had even enquired whether there was any risk involved in attending the meeting. At present the minister is exhibiting no symptoms of coronavirus infection.
Around 50 persons including some doctors and nurses at the hospital, were kept under isolation after the doctor, who recently returned from Spain, was tested COVID-19 positive. The doctor of the radiology department returned from Spain on March 1 and was tested positive on Sunday.
Hospital authorities maintained that the doctor joined duty only on March 10 after COVID-19 screening and isolation. He dealt with only two patients. He was asked on go on leave on the next day after Spain was also included in the high risk category.
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