Two more people in
Kerala have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday.
"While one person is admitted to the Pariyaram medical college in Kannur and has a travel history from Dubai, the other patient is in the isolation ward at Thrissur general hospital and has travelled to the state from Qatar," Vijayan told reporters after the daily review meeting.
According to reports, the Thrissur patient is said to have travelled in the same flight taken by the three member family from Italy who arrived at Kochi on February 29 and had tested positive for the virus.
Vijayan said 270 people are in isolation wards at various hospitals across the state.
"Of the total 4,180 under observation, 3,910 are under home quarantine," he said.
The state was focusing on preventive measures and need to take necessary precautions.
The chief minister also said one more suspected case of coronavirus was under observation in Thiruvananthapuram but the health department was awaiting further test results.
"We need to keep personal hygiene and the locality clean. Field officials including health workers must be taken care of and the state government has been taking steps to ensure their safety," Vijayan said.
Referring to an incident of teasing of a foreign tourist in Kerala by some local people, he said such behaviour was condemnable.
"Some locals have teased a tourist at Alappuzha by walking behind them and shouting corona corona...That was completely unwarranted.
Are we (Keralites) not affected with the virus? None should stoop to this level as such people are destroying the credibility and dignity of the state," the chief minister said.
Dismissing allegations of Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala that state Health minister K K Shailaja has "media mania", which is why she was conducting daily press meets on the coronavirus, Vijayan said it was "unfortunate."
"...some people are worried that the state government's image will improve with the effective handling of coronavirus scare.
We all are supposed to stand together and fight this epidemic.I am not saying much on it," he said.
During the press meet, the chief minister launched a mobile application--GOK Direct-- by the Information and Public Relations department, which will provide details of the coronavirus threat, its prevention and precautionary measures.
The Kerala Assembly on Thursday passed an unanimous resolution against the Centre's circular barring the return of Indians from coronavirus-hit countries such as Italy unless they produce a certificate that proves they have tested negative for the infection.
The resolution moved by the Chief Minister said the circular was "inhuman" and was akin to "cruelly abandoning" the expatriate Indians.
Kerala has been hit by the second round of coronavirus cases after the country's first three positive cases in the state were successfully cured and discharged from hospitals last month.
Meanwhile, the state police in a press release said details of people coming from COVID-19 countries to the state through Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur airports, would be collected by Intelligence ADGP from the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
These people would then be located though health department officials and informed about medical tests to be done and treatment they should undertake, the release said.
The services of 'Janamaitri' police would be taken to explain to the people the dos and don'ts in the guidelines prepared by the state government.
Police has registered one more case in connection with the fake campaigns in social media on coronavirus.
The case has been registered in Thrissur.
As a precautionary measure on account of COVID-19, the Space Museum at VSSC will remain closed up to March 31.
There will not be facility for visitors to witness the sounding rocket launch on March 18, a press release said.
The government has said temple and church festivals, which witness mass gatherings should be avoided, but rituals can be held in a low key manner.
It has also asked devotees of Lord Ayyappa to avoid visiting the hill shrine in Sabarimala which will reopen on Friday for monthly poojas.
All government related functions have been postponed including in which ministers participate.
Dismissing reports that courts in Kerala were being closed or summer vacation would be advanced in the wake of coronavirus scare, the High Court Registrar General said there was no such proposal in the offing.
However, all principal district judges have been directed to instruct officers under them that wherever litigants are likely to throng, it is not necessary to follow the regular court procedures;instead cases which will not be taken up for trial can be adjourned by notification.
"In other words, regular functioning of the courts should be continued," a statement from the office of Registrar General K Haripal said.
Presence of the parties shall not be insisted unless essential for the enforcement of orders of the High court or other superior courts.
Mediation and Lok Adalats proceedings need not be taken up during the period of alert, except for compliance of judicial directions, it said.
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