For the first time, Kerala’s COVID-19 case count crossed 200 in a single day. Chief Minister Pinarayi confirmed that 211 persons had tested positive for the virus on Friday.
The number of recoveries on Friday was 201.
Out of the 211 patients who tested positive for the virus, 138 of them had returned from abroad, 39 from other states and 27 via contact.
Six CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) personnel have tested positive and one crew member of a flight tested positive for the virus.
A district-wise break up of cases on Friday is as follows:
Malappuram 35, Kollam 23, Alappuzha 21, Thrissur 21, Kannur 18, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram 17 each, Palakkad, Kottayam and Kozhikode 14 each, Kasaragod and Pathanamthitta 7 each, Idukki 2 and Wayanad 1.
With this the total number of active cases in the state has risen to 2908, the CM added.
Around 1,77 lakh people are currently under observation in the state out of which 2894 persons are admitted to hospitals. On Friday, 378 people were admitted to hospitals.
There are 130 hotspots in the state currently.
Tighter measures to contain spread
Pinarayi added that all 14 districts in the state were seeing an increase in cases, and cases through contact have also been increasing.
In order to contain the spread, the government will tighten restrictions in the state, he said. This includes strengthening reverse quarantine of elderly, immunocompromised persons and others most at risk of contracting the virus.
“Everyone exhibiting symptoms such as breathlessness etc will be tested for the virus. Further all districts will be placed under police monitoring with IG, DIG and Superintendent rank police officers monitoring each district,” Pinarayi added.
In Edappal, 885 staff from two major hospitals were tested for the virus. Out of this, three samples turned positive while results for a few others are pending. In Ponani, which is a containment zone, the CM announced that 989 samples have been collected to test for community spread in the area.
Police volunteers recruited
In order to monitor districts to check the spread of the virus, the government has hired police volunteers to aid the force.
“7599 people signed up as police volunteers. The most number of volunteers came from Malappuam - 1030 people,” the CM added. Volunteers will be issued certificates for their work.
Over 4700 cases were registered on Friday against those who violated the mask rule. For breaking quarantine, 10 people were also booked.
Mid day meal kits and
The state government will spend over Rs 81 crore to distribute mid-day meal kits to over 26 lakh students in Kerala as schools remain closed.
Discussions are also underway to help students of NRIs who are returning home and who cannot go to school as they do not have a Transfer Certificate.
The CM has also requested PM Modi to run more Vande Bharat mission flights from Saudi to Kerala.