Five new cases; Kerala CM sounds caution as more people arrive

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state recorded five more positive cases on Tuesday, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases reported in the state to 524. At present, 32 active cases are undergoing treatment.
The new cases have been reported from Malappuram (3), Pathanamthitta (1) and Kottayam (1). Four of them have come from abroad and one person came from Chennai. As many as 31,616 persons are placed under surveillance in the state.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said of the 32 active cases, 23 people had come from outside. While 11 came from abroad, the rest came from other states. Nine people got the infection through direct contact.
As per the review of the cases reported in the state, it has been found that 25 people were infected from a single person in Kasaragod, nine in Kannur from single source and six in Wayanad from one infected person. “This shows that if we are not taking enough precautions, the situation will go out of control. Till date, we were safe since we could trace the source and check the spread,” the CM said.
“When the people had come from abroad in the first and second phases, Covid-19 was not that intense in those countries. The situation was same in other states too. Now, the scene has changed. More people are coming from the infected regions and it’s time to become more cautious,” he added.
Till date 33,116 people have come through the state borders, 1,406 people by air and 833 have come via sea. “We are going to receive more people who will arrive by trains and it is a herculean task to monitor and quarantine them,” the CM said.
“More than home quarantine, room quarantine is going to be the essential part of quarantining. We cannot afford to have any direct contact with any of the person within the family. Precaution and prevention are the two key factors,” Vijayan said.
He also stressed the need for tightening the restrictions on those who come from other states. “The local bodies and the police will have the responsibility of monitoring those under home quarantine. Police should also ensure that the people arriving from outside have reached their homes or Covid care centres,’’ he said.