Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan tests positive for Covid-19

Kerala on Thursday reported 4,353 new Covid-19 cases-- the biggest spike in recent days and the test positivity rate also climbed to 6.81.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and was rushed to the medical college hospital in Kozhikode as a precaution.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the star campaigner of the ruling Left Democratic Front and he had travelled extensively during the last two weeks. He had taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on March 3. (AP PHOTO.)

His office said he was asymptomatic but was shifted to the hospital considering his age. The 76-year-old was the star campaigner of the ruling Left Democratic Front and he had travelled extensively during the last two weeks. He had taken the first dose of the vaccine on March 3.

Later the CM tweeted about his health condition and advised all who came in contact with him recently to go into self-isolation. His daughter Veena Vijayan tested positive for the viral infection on polling day on Tuesday and she visited the polling booth in the evening in a PPE kit to exercise her franchise. Later his son-in-law Mohamad Riyas also tested positive and both of them are undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode medical college hospital.

Kerala on Thursday reported 4,353 new Covid-19 cases-- the biggest spike in recent days and the test positivity rate also climbed to 6.81. The state has a caseload of 11.48 lakh and has reported 4728 deaths so far. On Tuesday, the state’s core committee dealing with the pandemic had decided to tighten norms to contain the spread of the viral infection.

Kerala was forced to take such a decision after many norms were diluted at the height of the election by almost all political parties. In some of the poll rallies more than 25,000 people participated. Though the Election Commission had issued strict directives, on the final day of campaign all political parties carried out a show of strength.