Fighting the coronavirus outbreak: What Kerala and Karnataka are doing

As of March 15, 24 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Kerala and 6 cases have been reported in Karnataka.
Fighting the coronavirus outbreak: What Kerala and Karnataka are doing
Fighting the coronavirus outbreak: What Kerala and Karnataka are doing
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Karnataka and Kerala have stepped up their efforts to fight the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in their respective states. As of March 15, 24 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Kerala and 6 cases have been reported in Karnataka.

The first 3 coronavirus patients were reported in Kerala in the last week of January 3 itself. The Health Department in the state took measures to ensure that the disease does not spread in the state. Cases emerged in Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Thrissur. 
 
In Karnataka, cases have been reported in Bengaluru and Kalaburgi, including the first coronavirus linked death in the country, that of a 75-year-old man who died on March 10. 
 
International passengers were asked to be quarantined at home for 28 days. TNM spoke to a traveller who quarantined himself at home. "After reaching home, I was strictly under home quarantine. I didn't step outside or mingle with anyone. I used a mask and my parents kept a distance from me. I was confined to my own room," the patient told TNM.
 
People who showed symptoms were quarantined in isolation wards in designated hospitals. Both the Karnataka and Kerala governments deployed mental health professionals to speak to and counsel those who are quarantined. 
 
The two governments are also feverishly tracing contacts of the people who tested positive for the virus. The two governments used local information to create maps to find out where the patients have been to and detailed their movements. Unaware that they had the virus, patients had been to malls, restaurants and movie theatres. 
 
Partial shutdowns were announced in both states. On March 10, schools, colleges, religious events were among the activities suspended in Kerala. Karnataka followed suit on March 13, closing down high-footfall areas like malls, pubs and theatres. 
 
The two state governments are reacting to the situation in a flexible manner and making changes to their approach as new cases emerge. 
 
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