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Coronavirus latest: Kerala reports 7 new cases as expatriates, migrants threaten a third-wave
Kerala has achieved good results in containing the disease with low mortality and growth rate.
Kerala reported seven new coronavirus cases on Sunday-- the highest in the last week—including three who returned from the middle-eastern countries. Four other cases are of transmissions from primary carriers, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The state, which has maintained a relatively healthy graph with high recovery and low mortality rates, has heightened vigilance after the return of expatriates from the Gulf began under the Vande Bharat Mission along with the movement of migrants. Seven flights from the Middle East and a navy ship from Maldives carrying stranded residents has arrived in the state during the last few days.
The state government is conscious of the need to step up vigilance at this crucial juncture and is thus observing a complete lockdown on Sunday to prevent a third wave of infections.
The first coronavirus case in the country was reported in Kerala when a couple of students from China tested positive upon their return in January and the second wave was seen in March when some infected returnees from foreign countries jumped quarantine to become the super spreaders of the disease.
The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19
Most of the returnees from Arab countries arriving now, apart from the UAE, have not been tested for the disease, which is a cause of concern for the administration. Most of the 500 passengers, who landed in the state on Saturday from Oman, Kuwait and Qatar were not subjected to anti-body tests to detect coronavirus infection.
In a positive development, North Kerala district Kasaragod, once a hotspot with 180 cases, has turned Covid-free with the discharge of the last patient on Sunday. According to the latest data, 489 out of a total of 512 positive cases in the state have been discharged, leaving 23 under treatment in hospitals.
