The state, which had last week declared that it hadflattened the curve, reported only 20 active cases on May 10but five days later, on May 15, there are 80 cases, anincrease of 60 positive cases.
"Eighty people are under treatment while 493 havebeen cured of the infection," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayantold the media, adding that cases are increasing in the statewhich was a matter of concern.
Seven of the positive cases were those who had comefrom abroad, while four had come from neighbouring Tamil Naduand two from Mumbai, he said.
Three were infected through contact.
Social distancing and other measures need to bestrictly followed as there is a possibility of the infectionspreading through contact, he told reporters here.
Cautioning those in quarantine to strictly followthe protocol, Vijayan said police personnel on motorcycleswill patrol homes in various districts.
On Friday, 65 cases were registered, 53 inThiruvananthapuram, for not following the quarantine protocolwhile it was 11 in Kasaragod and one in Kozhikode.
With five more COVID-19 cases being reported,Wayanad's tally has gone up to 19, followed by Malappuram(4),Alappuzha and Kozhikode two each and one each from Kollam,Palakkad and Kasaragod, Vijayan said giving the break up ofthe cases on Friday.
With positive cases seeing a spike in the last fewdays, the tally touched 576 today, of whom 80 arepresently under treatment.
Over 48,000 are under observation, while 538 are inhospitals.
Of the total 576 cases, 311 people had come fromabroad, including eight foreigners and 70 had come from otherstates.
At least 187 were infected through contact.
The Chief Minister said till now 17 flights fromvarious countries have landed at the four internationalairports of the state with stranded Indians abroad and threeships have also reached the Kochi port.
Vijayan also said the matter of 82 nurses, who arestranded in Israel and their visas expired, would be taken upwith the central government and efforts will be taken to bringthem back.
He also said that 1,045 people reached the state onFriday morning in the first special train from Delhi.
"A total of 3,732 people have reached the state fromabroad.
Till now, 33,000 guest workers have left the state in29 trains," Vijayan said.
At least 2,85,880 people have registered forreaching the state through road and passes were issued for1,23,872.
He allayed the confusion regarding home quarantineand said it was effective in Kerala.
"Out of the total 48,825 people under observation,48,287 are under home quarantine.
We have effectively implemented home quarantine inKerala and it was the major factor in containing the spread ofthe virus.
With more patients coming into the state, we are alsoconsidering paid quarantine," Vijayan said.
The chief minister said there will not be any easingof restrictions in the containment zones and gathering ofpeople is not allowed anywhere in the state.
As per the latest medical bulletin, Wayanad has 19cases, the highest in the state followed by Malappuram with 15and Kasaragod with 13. RRT BNWELCOME BNWELCOME