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Kerala reports 11 new Covid-19 cases
The state has reported 587 Covid-19 positive cases so far, of which 87 are still active. North Kerala’s Wayanad and Kasaragod have emerged as hotspots.
Kerala has reported 11 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, said state health minister KK Shailaja on Saturday while sounding a word of caution that the third phase of the pandemic would be critical for the state.
Kerala has been preparing for a spike in Covid-19 positive cases, as those stranded abroad, mostly from the West Asian nations, are being evacuated by the central government under Operation Vande Bharat – the largest evacuation operation since the invasion of Kuwait by the then Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in August 1990.
The state has reported 587 Covid-19 positive cases so far, of which 87 are still active.
North Kerala’s Wayanad and Kasaragod have emerged as hotspots.
A truck driver and a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader have become the latest superspreaders. The driver came back from Chennai’s Koyembedu vegetable market, a Covid-19 hotspot, and infected 10 others with SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, and the CPI(M) leader, who had sneaked into neighbouring Karnataka to bring back one of his relatives, infected eight others, said health officials.
“People slacken when restrictions are relaxed. This is not a good sign. Now, we’ve to be more vigilant even though we’ve to live with the virus. We managed the first two phases well. Our mortality rate, which is less than 1%, is the best in the world. However, we shouldn’t lower our guard. The third phase is critical for the state,” Shailaja said.
Kerala is the first state in the country to report a Covid-19 positive case on January 30, when an infected medical student returned from China.
The second phase occurred during the first week of March, when a few people, who came from abroad violated home quarantine norms and infected others.
The state had successfully contained the viral outbreak with its track, trace, and treat methodology. But the third phase will be the most challenging as several stranded people are now returning to the state and 60% among the latest 80 Covid-19 positive cases are imported.
At least 3,750 people returned by 17 international flights and three ships to the state in the last week from the Persian Gulf nations and the Maldives.
Similarly 40,000 people stranded in other parts of the country returned to the state in the past 10 days.
