Bulgarian football coach showers praise on Kerala government for fighting COVID-19

A foreign football coach has showered praise on the Kerala government for its effective handling of novel coronavirus cases in the state. Dimitar Pantev, a Bulgarian, was home quarantined in Pattambi when he reached the town in Palakkad district on March 4 for doing a study on the feasibility of setting up a highly professional training centre there on the request of Dubai-based H16 Sports Services.

"I was and am still dumbstruck to hear about the spread and the disaster coronavirus has created in Europe and I feel truly blessed that Kerala is the place that I was at in the times of the virus,” Pantev wrote on his Facebook page.

He hailed the leadership role being played by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister K K Shailaja in preventing the spread of the deadly virus in the state. "At no point I was worried or felt like going home, the way the Chief Minister of the state Honourable Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, took charge of the situation, leading from the front with his Health Minister, Ms Shylaja Teacher, was an eye opener in disaster management…”

“...and I am so glad I was witness to their super efficiency in managing the disaster with available resources and very happy they are getting international acclaim for their commitment and hard work in the fight against this dreaded disease,” he said.

He said ever since the quarantine period was in force in Pattambi Municipality, Health Inspector Priya Das and other officials of the Health department kept checking on him, giving safety instructions and calling up on the phone every day to ensure my health status.

"The officer of Pattambi Police station Mr Mohana Krishnan (Assistant Sub Inspector of Kerala Police, Special branch), was very particular in following his government's instruction and keeping a hawk eye for the well being of the foreigner, that was me," Pantev said.

He said he was looking forward to meeting Pinarayi and Shylaja personally to convey his family's thanks and good wishes.

"I am very grateful for the kindness and good heart of the Kerala Football Association and the local football groups for their thoughtfulness,” he said.

Kerala is ahead of other states in the country in the fight against COVID-19. The state has started showing signs of declining infections. A total of 179 had been cured with only two deaths reported in the state due to COVID-19 so far.

According to the latest report, a total of 1,16,941 people were under observation in the state out of which 816 are in isolation wards of various hospitals. The state has till now sent 14,989 samples for testing.