Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Monday reported 32 new positive cases of Covid-19, taking the total number of patients under treatment to 213 in the state with the worst affected Kasaragod district accounting for 17 fresh cases. The state also scripted history on Monday when the two elderly couple aged 93 and 88, were cured of the deadly virus. Thomas and Mariyamma, from Ranni in Pathanamthitta district, admitted in Kottayam medical college were cured even as they battled wth various age related complications. Five other family members of the elderly couple, including their Italy returned son, daughter-in-law and grandson, who had tested positive for the virus, and were under treatment since March 6, were discharged on Monday and left for home after their samples returned negative.
At least 1,57,253 people in the state are under observation out of which 623 people are in isolation wards of various hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters after the daily evaluation meet. He said besides Kasaragod, Kannur district accounted for 11 positive cases while Wayanad and Idukki has two new cases of coronavirus infection. "The state has so far sent 6991 samples for testing whereas 6031 returned negative. Of the 32 fresh cases, 17 of them came from abroad and 15 persons are close contacts of the affected patients," Vijayan said. The condition of a positive patient at thiruvananthapuram was serious as he was suffering from various complications.
The chief minister today termed the protest of guest workers from others yesterday as a "conspiracy by one or more elements" and said the police was probing the matter. "The government has opened 5,178 camps across the state and arranged food, medical assistance and other facilities for them. It''s not possible for us to allow them to travel to their native places in north India. That''s not a decision to be taken by the state government as the Prime Minister himself has declared the national policy to stay wherever we are," Vijayan said. "Certain elements, annoyed with the state''s advancement made in the face of Covid-19 has conspired to provoke the guest workers.
Police is probing the conspiracy part. The state has appointed a panel comprising district collector and labour officer to look into matters of the guest workers in the state," VIjayan said. In another development, Two youth congress workers were arrested from Malappuram district for spreading misleading news over social media. The two had shared WhatsApp message saying a train had been arranged for the guest workers to travel home, police said. At least 1076 people were arrested on Monday for lockdown violations, 1089 cases registered and 792 vehcles seized. The total cases registered since tuesday has touched 10,429, police said. Vijayan was also all praise for the Home Guard, who in Hindi appraised the guest workers of the situation related to Covid-19 and the steps bein gtaken by the government and said an ADGP has been appointed to look into the safety and health of the policemen in the field.
The chief minister urged the government employees to contrubute their one day salary to the cm''s relief fund to help the financially strained state at the time of the pandemic. Discusisons had been held with various employees organisations, he said. Vijayan also said they could become part of the salary challenge by contributing either a month''s salary in full or in instalments. Opposition leader, Ramesh Chennithala, said it would be dificult for the last grade employees to contribute their one month salary in full. The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Biotechnology was granted permission to conduct tests. So from tomorrow onward we can conduct 3,000 tests daily.
We can increase the number of tests here," Vijayan said. The chief minister also said he was confident that the issue relating to the closure of the border roads by Karnataka would be sorted out soon. A vegetable laden lorry had been reportedly attacked last night and tomotoes and other vegetables destroyed at a checkpost. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court Monday directed the release of prisoners facing upto seven years imprisonment, to decongest jails as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus in line with the Supreme ourt''s directions in Ravindranath.
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