COVID-19: 70% of patients in Kerala are people who returned from outside says CM

“We are entering a new phase of COVID-19 transmission, our people from other states and countries have begun to return,” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned during his press meet on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister added that 70 % of cases in Kerala are those who returned from outside (abroad and other states) and the rest of the 30% got infected as they were contacts. "This implies that the transmission rate is less than one per cent and also we have been able to reduce the mortality rate," the CM said.

“Our aim is to guard those who are coming from affected regions and their families and to keep the threat of community transmission at bay. The number of active cases in the state stands at 32, out of this 23 people got infected from outside the state. This include six who returned from Chennai, four from Maharashtra, two from Nizamuddin and 11 who returned from foreign countries," the CM said.

The rest of nine people got infected through contact; among this six are from Wayanad district. This includes three from the family of a truck driver who had returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai, the son of the co-driver and two contacts of them. Outside Wayanad, three people got infected through contact. They are relatives of those who returned from the Gulf,” he said.

The Chief Minister warned that one should be wary of transmission. "We should remember that earlier in Kasaragod it was transmitted to 22 people from one contact, and nine people got from one contact in Kannur. Things are not as easy as it seems. It would go out of control if there is a slip in the control, we will have to face unimaginable repercussions,” Pinarayi warned.

So far 33116 people have returned to the state by road, 1406 have flown in from other countries and 831 have arrived by ship.

While more people are returning to the state, providing them safety is a challenge.

Five new cases

Five new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state while no recoveries were reported on Tuesday. Among this, three are from Malappuram and one patient each in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. Four among them are foreign returnees, while one returned from Chennai. The total of number of cases in the state till now is 524.

31616 people are under surveillance of which 473 are under isolation in hospitals. 95 people were admitted to hospitals on Tuesday.