Lino Abel is one of the 5,400-odd persons isolated either at home or hospital across the state. He was not even allowed to have a last glimpse of the body of his father Abel Ouseph, and had to watch the funeral via video call from a hospital bed.

A man who flew from Qatar to Kerala to see his 70-year-old father on his deathbed ended up in isolation as part as part of the state government’s fight against Covid-19.

In a Facebook post, Abel said, “When I reached Kochi… I had no health issues and my temperature was normal…”

His father was placed under life support system at a medical college, so Abel was unable to see him. “When I came out of hospital, I felt sore throat and decided to report at the corona section at the hospital. As I came from Qatar, the doctor who examined me, suggested that I should go into isolation. I obliged,’’ he said in his post.

That night, his father had a stroke and died. Abel sought permission to have a last glimpse of his father, but it was denied. “I had no option but cry in isolation. It was terrible that I could not have a glimpse even though I was at the same hospital,” he said.

“While my father’s body was laid for public homage at home, I could watch my father only through a video call,” he said. Abel said if he hadn’t reported his sore throat at hospital, he might have been able to attend the funeral of his father. But, he said, he had decided that he should not be instrumental in spreading the disease among relatives and neighbours.