"Kerala is more safe," says Italian tourist cured of COVID-19

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 20 (): "Kerala is more safe"were the parting words of an Italian tourist who testedpositive for COVID-19 and was discharged on Monday from ahospital here after after making a full recovery.

Roberto Tonizzo, in his forties, tested positive on March13 while on a visit to nearby Varkala. The results came out negative on March 26 and was underquarantine at the General Hospital here.

"I am so happy. I thank everybody, all doctors and otherstaff. Once everything is over, I would like to come back. Kerala is like my home. It's more safe here. Now I have togo back to my country, but I will come back," Tonizzo toldmedia.

The state government arranged a vehicle for him to go toBangalurufrom where he will travel to Italy with otherItalian nationals later.

Earlier, on April 9, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hadsaid that seven nationals fromthe United Kingdom and anItalian national hadrecovered and cured of COVID-19.

The seven people, admitted in the Ernakulam medicalcollege, were part of the group which had on March 15 tried toleave the country without permission while being underobservation at Munnar, a hill station in the state. RRTAPRRAVINDRANATH RRTAPRRAVINDRANATH