Thiruvananthapuram: Eighty two people tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala on Monday, with returnees from abroad and other states accounting for 72 cases, even as the toll climbed to 20 with the death of a man. The 67-year-old had died on June 12. His samples tested positive today. A heart patient, he was also under treatment for chronic pulmonary disease. Nine people have been infected through his contact. The COVID-19 tally in the state has climbed to 2,542, while 1,174 have recovered, including 73 who were discharged today, Health minister K K Shailaja said in a press release. As of now, 1,348 people are under treatment.
The highest number of cases was reported from Ernakulam 13, followed by Pathnamthitta 11, Kottayam and Kannur 10 each,Palakkad seven, Malappuram and Kozhikode six each, Alappuzha five, Kollam fourt, Thrissur and Kasargod districts three each, Idukki two and one each from Thiruvananthapuram (including the deceased) and Wayanad districts. Of those diagnosed today, 49 were those who had come from abroad, including UAE-19, Kuwait-12 and 23 from other states. A total of 1,20,727 people are under observation in the state, out of which 2,023 are in isolation wards of various hospitals in Kerala.
At least five more areas have been categorised as hotspots and there are now 125 such areas in the state. Malappuram has 202 positive cases, the highest in the state, followed by Thrissur and Palakkad with 146 each. Kannur has 124 positive cases while Kasaragod has 101. Police said cases have been registered against 1,370 people for violating lockdown protocols. A total of 2,833 cases have been registered against people for not wearing masks and seven against those who violated quarantine protocol, a police release said Meanwhile, the state government has issued Standard Operating Procedure for the stay of people coming to the state for short visits not exceeding seven days for urgent purposes, without undergoing the mandatory home/institutional quarantine enforced following outbreak of COVID19.
The relaxation is for those visiting Kerala for purposes like business, official matters, trade, medical care, court cases, attending examinations and property management, after obtaining entry passes through COVID-19 jagratha portal, a Government Order said. There has been a considerable drop in the number of those under quarantine in the State as 1,29,971 people completed their 14 days quarantine. Currently, 1,20,727 people are under surveillance in various districts. Of these, 1,18,704 are under observation at their homes or institutional quarantine centres and 2,023 are in isolation at hospitals. On Monday, 219 people were admitted to hospitals. During the last 24 hours, 4,491 samples were tested.
So far, samples of 1,14,753 people have been sent for testing and the results of 1,996 samples are awaited. Apart from this, 31,424 samples were collected from high public exposure groups as part of Sentinel Surveillance and out of these, 29,991 samples tested negative. A total of 1,51,686 samples have been sent for testing.
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