Gandhinagar, March 19 The first of the two coronavirus positive cases in Gujarat is a male who had returned from Mecca with his 11-member family, many of who live in Rajkot, Surat and Valsad.
The health authorities have started tracing the history of all the family members, and the people they must have come in contact with in the past 10-12 days.
The 31-year-old coronavirus positive person from Rajkot had been on a pilgrimage to Mecca with his family. They returned to India on March 8 and took the train to Gujarat. Many of the family members unboarded the train at Valsad and also at Surat.
"After this person's samples tested positive on Wednesday, we have started tracing all the persons coming in contact with him as well as his family," Jayanti Ravi, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), told .
According to sources, 17 people have been identified and isolated. On Thursday, the family doctor who initially treated the coronavirus carrier for first 4-5 days was quarantined, sources said.
"The doctor as well as his family are under observation. Around 12-15 people who came in touch with him during this time have come forward. They have been isolated by the authorities," said a source from Rajkot.
"We appeal to all, anybody who has returned from abroad, and even if he/she is your closest relative, should be strictly isolated by the family. Even if someone finds any foreign returnee loitering around, he/she should immediately inform the health authorities.
"Because the international passengers get mingled with other passengers at the airport terminals as there are no segregation about their departure countries, from where they are coming. So we need to be extra cautious," Ravi said.
( With inputs from IANS )