Air passenger from Chennai tests COVID-19 positive

An air passenger who had arrived here from Chennai on May 25 tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, making him perhaps the first case of coronavirus since resumption of domestic flights after two months.

The 24 year-old man, who arrived by a private carrier, has been since shifted to the ESI Hospital here for further treatment, officials said.

Though the other passengers tested negative, they are likely to be home quarantined for 14 days, officials said.

On Monday, over 130 passengers arrived here from Chennai and Delhi after the Centre allowed resumption of domestic flight services and all of them underwent the necessary test for coronavirus in line with the health protocol guidelines of the Tamil Nadu government.

Swab test results on Tuesday revealed that the 24-year old man tested positive for the deadly virus and he was immediately shifted to the ESI Hospital.

He was working in the room service wing of a star hotel in Chennai.

Though Coimbatore witnessed a positive case after a gap of 21 days with the latest one, it will be added to the Chennai count, health department officials said.

Domestic air services resumed in the country on Monday, after a gap of two months when a coronavirus-induced lockdown was enforced in the country on March 25, shutting down various sectors, including rail and aviation.