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Kerala CM says more tests needed after 10 more new cases of Covid-19
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the shortage of kits and spare parts had delayed tests in the state.
With ten new cases the total number of Covid-19 cases in Kerala has gone up to 447, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday.
He said the government will accelerate tests in the coming days.
“The shortage of kits and spare parts had delayed tests in the state and it will be speeded up with fresh kits provided by the Union health ministry,” Vijayan said.
The CM said that in two months health authorities could conduct only 21,000 tests and some of the states which started tests much later had done more than that. He said the state government has placed orders for 10 more real time PCR machines.
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Out of 10 new cases four were reported from Idukki district. The CM said Idukki will be taken out of the green zone in view of these cases and will be designated as an orange zone.
Out of 447 cases, 318 have recovered and 129 people are in hospitals, he said adding strict lockdown will continue in red zones. Four districts of north Kerala are under red zone - Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikkode and Malappuram.
“We expected a sharp rise in cases but things are under control. We still feel community spread did not take place. But the threat still persists. We have to be careful,” said the CM.
