India's third coronavirus patient tests negative; Decision on discharge on Thursday

A woman medico treated for novel coronavirus tested negative for the second time, marking the recovery all three cases of the infection in India reported from Kerala, the state government said on Wednesday.

Two other students -- one from Alappuzha and another Kasaragod -- had been discharged recently after they too tested negative for the virus in fresh tests days after being infected by it. A decision on discharge of the woman, India''s first coronavirus patient and undergoing treatment in the isolation ward of the Thrissur Medical College Hospital since her return from Wuhan in China last month, would be taken by the Medical Board which will meet on Thursday, the officials said.

All the three Keralites had earlier tested positive for the coronavirus on their return from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak that has left over 2,000 people dead in China, triggering a scare in the state. "The health condition of the third patient at Thrissur Medical College Hospital is satisfactory. The second consecutive test result of the blood sample of the student, sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, has returned negative," Health Minister K K Shailaja said in a release.

The health department said a total of 2,242 people are under observation across the state, out of which, eight are in isolation wards of various hospitals and other under home quarantine. At least 423 out of 432 blood samples sent for testing at NIV Pune have returned negative.

The student admitted to the isolation ward of Alappuzha Medical College was discharged on February 6 while the patient from Kasargod sent home five days later. Earlier, after the three students tested positive, the government had declared the coronavirus as a state calamity, but withdrew it after effective quarantine and no fresh cases being reported.