7, including 11 month infant&Kuwait returnee test positive in Kerala
One region in Wayanad district has been categorised as ahot spot.
A day after Kasaragod district was declared COVID-19-freeby the health department, four people who had come fromMaharashtra were found infected with the deadlyvirus,stateHealth minister K K Shailaja said.
A 11-month old infantfrom Wayanad, the grandchild of atruck driver who had tested positive after returning from theKoyambedu market, a hot spot in Chennai, also tested positivefor the virus.
The man's wife, mother and the truck cleaner's son werealso infectedthrough contact earlier.
With the Kuwait returnee testing positive, so far sixpeople repatriated to the state in flights from the Gulf aspart of the centre's 'Vande Mataram' mission, have testedpositive for COVID-19.
This person has been admitted to the Manjeri MedicalCollege Hospital.
A man from Palakkad, who had come from Chennai, alsotested positive for the virus, a government release said.
Meanwhile, there were no negative results in Kerala onMonday and till now, 489 people have recovered.
"As of now, 1,307 people have reached the state fromabroad in the repatriation flights from the gulf sectoroperated by the Centre.
Out of this, 650 are under home quarantine and 641 are incovid care centres. Sixteen are in isolation wards. 229pregnant ladies have reached the state from abroad," Shailajasaid.
At least 27,986 people are under observation in Keralaand 441 are in isolation wards.
"The state administration has included Nenmeni area ofWayanad district in the list of hot spots of the state takingthe total number to 34.
As of now, Wayanad has eight cases, the highest number inthe state, followed by Kasaragod with four.
Kannur, Ernakulam and Kollam districtshave three caseseach, while Thrissur, Malappuram have two each and Palakkadand Kozhikode, one each.
With fresh cases on the rise, there is growing concern asmore people are expected from the gulf and other states in thecoming days.
Days after the state had declared that it had flattenedthe curve, seven cases were reported on May 10 and an equalnumber on Monday.
Meanwhile, the state police has decided to monitor allthose who had returned to Kerala from other states to ensurethat they remain in home quarantine.
The state borders on Monday continued to witness heavyrush of keralites stuck in other states due to the lockdown,even as the state government had directed that only those withe-passes would be allowed to enter the state.
State Police chief Loknath Behera has written to allstate DGPs and police commissioners to ensure thatthoseapplying for passes to Kerala have state's COVID-19 e Jagratapass.
A police press release also said those who have returnedfrom other countries and states and are under home quarantinewould be under the surveillance of 'Janamaitri' police whowill ensure that they do not move around meeting friends andrelatives during the quarantine period.
Over four lakh people from various countries, mainly fromthe Gulf, had registered in the NORKA portal to return toKerala while least one lakh people from other states have alsoregistered with the state government website.
The state border checkposts, especially Walayar inPalakkad, bordering Tamil Nadu, has been witnessing a heavyrush of Keralites wanting to return.
The Kerala High Court had on Sunday directed the stategovernment to take "urgent immediate steps" to facilitate theentry of those stranded at Walayar as several people,including small children, were stranded as they did not havethe required pass to enter the state. RRT UD APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH