Special train from Delhi arrives in Kerala; 7 with symptoms of COVID-19 shifted to hospital

Thiruvananthapuram, May 15 () The first special trainfrom New Delhi carrying nearly 1,000 passengers arrived inKerala and seven of them were shifted to COVID-19 care centresand hospitals as they showed some symptoms of the diseaseduring screening, officials said on Friday. Barring the seven passengers -- six of whom alighted inKozhikode and one here -- others were allowed to proceed bytaxis and buses arranged by district officials and they haveto remain under quarantine in their homes for 14 days. The all-air conditioned Rajadhani Delhi-Thiruvananthapuramsuperfast train arrived here at 5.10 AM on Friday after twostoppages in the state at Kozhikode and Ernakulam South, whereover 560 passengers deboarded, officials said. At least 350 people reached here and underwent medicalcheck-up conducted by a team of doctors and health officialsand the railway staff who wore personal protection equipment. "One person was shifted to the hospital after he showedsome symptoms," a senior district official told . The rest of the passengers were sent to their homes. Earlier, the train reached Kozhikode, the first station inKerala, on Thursday night where 261 people deboarded. "Out of the 261, five persons were shifted to the COVIDcare centre and one person to the Kozhikode Medical College,"Kozhikode district medical officer said.Later it reached Ernakulam South where many passengerswho had booked their tickets to Thiruvananthapuram got downafter taking necessary permission as they found it convenientto travel to their home districts from there. In all, around300 people alighted at Ernakulam, railway sources said. Health department workers disinfected the railway stationsand the taxis used by the passengers. Railway officials said the train will be disinfected andcommence its return journey on Friday evening. The superfast train was among the special passenger trainsoperated from New Delhi railway station to 15 destinations inthe country including Thiruvananthapuram. RRTVS VS