Excise personnel dies of COVID-19 in Kerala

Amid the rising number of cases due to COVID-19 pandemic, an excise department personnel in Kerala lost his life to the disease. The toll number of death in Kerala rose to 21 while the total number of cases stand at 2,696.

Kannur: A 28-year old excise department personnel in Kerala died of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the toll due to the disease to 21, officials said.

Sunil K P attached to Mattannur Excise office in Kannur district died at the Medical College Hospital here, two days after he tested positive for the virus, a senior health official said.

The Mattannur Excise office has been closed and at least 18 personnel attached to it quarantined following the death Sunil, who was among a team that had nabbed a gang smuggling illicit liquor from Karnataka on June 3, he said.

"We are worried as he is a young man. We had already traced all his contacts including family and had quarantined them. At least 18 Excise officials are also under quarantine," the official told reporters.

The district administration was trying to trace the source from whom Sunil contracted the disease, he said.

Police said they have implemented triple lockdown in the region to contain possible spread.

As of Thursday, Kerala's tally of COVID-19 cases stood at 2,696.

(PTI Report)