Kerala reported 11 more COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the number of those under treatment for the novel coronavirus infection in the state to 254.Maximum number of cases were reported from the worst-hit Kasaragod – six.
Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Palakkad and Kannur districts reported one case each, state Health Minister K K Shailaja said. Five of them came from Dubai (Kasaragod – 3, Kannur and Ernakulam – one each) while three had visited the religious congregation in Nizamuddin (Alappuzha, Kollam and Kasaragod). The patient in Palakkad had recently visited Nagpur. The remaining two in Kasaragod contracted the disease via contact with other patients. Eight patients were declared cured on Saturday.
On a positive note, Saturday's results did not show any spike in the number of COVID-19 cases compared to Friday's nine. However, the situation in Kasaragod, the worst affected district, continues to be worrisome.
The total number of patients under treatment in the northern district has risen to 123, which is nearly half the number of active cases in the state.
Under observation in Kasaragod are 10,563 people – 10,368 at homes and 195 in hospitals. Test results of 383 are awaited.
Eight cured
Eight patients were declared cured on Saturday - seven patients in Kannur and one in Thiruvananthapuram tested negative. With Saturday's results, Kerala has reported 306 cases so far. Of them, 50 have been cured and discharged. Two persons succumbed to the disease.
Fourteen patients were declared cured on Friday, the the highest number to test negative in a single day.
1,71,335 under observation
Across the state, 1,71,335 people are under observation. Of them, 1,70,621 are home quarantined and 734 are in hospitals. On Saturday, 174 were hospitalised. Of the 9,744 samples sent for tests, 8,586 have returned negative.
Widespread testing
The government has decided to make testing more widespread.
“At present, samples are taken of those cases that meet most symptoms. From now on, even cases that show only one or two symptoms will be sent for testing. Rapid testing will also be part of the regime,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a Facebook post on Friday.
