Health minister speaks to Kerala CM, assures Centre’s help to fight Covid

Kerala, which is currently the worst hit state, is accounting for nearly 50% of the total infections seen across the country. On Tuesday, the state reported another high of 23,676 new cases while 148 patients succumbed to the viral disease, taking the caseload and death toll to nearly 3.45 million and 17,103, respectively.

Union health and family welfare minister Mansukh Mandaviya spoke to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday regarding the surge in cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the state and sought the state government’s cooperation in managing the pandemic. Mandaviya also said he wrote to Vijayan for taking more proactive measures and precautions to control the present situation.

On Monday, Kerala saw 13,984 getting infected after recording over 20,000 cases for six straight days. (File photo)

“The central government’s team headed by NCDC has returned from Kerala and submitted its report.I have spoken with the chief minister of Kerala, Shri @VijayanPinarayi ji, over the phone and discussed the matter of the rising Covid-19 cases in the state,” Mandaviya tweeted and assured complete support from the Centre.

The central team which visited the state recently to assess the Covid-19 crisis said that testing, contract tracing and containment measures should be enhanced to deal with the recent surge in cases, news agency ANI reported on Wednesday. The team also suggested that Intensive Care Unit beds and ventilator beds in hospitals need to be augmented urgently.

Kerala, which is currently the worst hit state, is accounting for nearly 50% of the total infections seen across the country. On Tuesday, the state reported another high of 23,676 new cases while 148 patients succumbed to the viral disease, taking the caseload and death toll to nearly 3.45 million and 17,103, respectively. The total recoveries have climbed to 3,258,310 after 15,626 patients were discharged on Tuesday while the active cases stand at 173,221. On Monday, Kerala saw 13,984 getting infected after recording over 20,000 cases for six straight days.

The state government on Wednesday announced relaxations in its ongoing lockdown restrictions, allowing shops, markets, offices, factories, financial institutions, industries and other establishments to open six days a week from Monday to Saturday. These relaxations will come into effect from Thursday. However, lockdown on Sundays will continue.

Shops can now function from 7 am to 9pm while malls can only open for online delivery. Schools, colleges and educational institutions, movie theatres and in-house dining in restaurants and hotels will remain closed. The government also said that a triple lockdown will be implemented in areas where there are over 10 cases found in 1,000 people in a week.

(With agency inputs)