Coronavirus: Kerala remains the epicenter with 17 infected; assembly sessions curtailed

• The 19th session of the Kerala Assembly has been curtailed which was originally slated to end on April 8.
  
  
• According to the last official estimates from the government said almost 3910 people are under observation.
  
  
• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday launched a new app to track the COVID-19 guidelines of the Kerala Health Department.
  

Out of all 81 people infected by Coronavirus in India, 17 of them are from Kerala making it the epicenter. The state government has been taking measures to contain the virus like shutting schools, cinemas and more.

The deadly virus has claimed more than 4000 lives worldwide and has infected around lakh people.

Around 4000 people under observation in Kerala

According to the last official estimates, 3910 people are under observation, and quarantined in the state. And, 270 more are in hospitals spread across central-southern districts Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Ernakulam.

Cancel marriages and religious gatherings: Kerala CM Vijayan

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to cancel weddings, religious gatherings and other events that involve mass gathering.

“This is also a season of religious festivities. But we should avoid holding large festivities and marriages. At least, they should be reduced to mere rituals and limit the people in attendance. In Sabarimala (which opens for a few days in March), people should avoid going for the pilgrimage, but the rituals in the temple will be allowed to continue,” Vijayan said after a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday (March 10).

Kerala Assembly session curtailed till Friday

Amid the coronavirus scare across the country, the 19th session of the Kerala Assembly has been curtailed. Vijayan said on Thursday that it would be appropriate if the business advisory committee of the Assembly decided to end the session.

Before the session started on Friday morning, the committee decided to end the session after dealing with the listed business for the day. The session began on March 2 and was originally slated to end on April 8 after holding 27 sittings.

Kerala launches new app to track coronavirus

Vijayan also launched a new app to track the COVID-19 guidelines of the Kerala Health Department after two fresh cases of coronavirus cases were reported yesterday (March 12).

The app can be downloaded from the Google play store. This facility would be available on feature phones via SMS alerts.

Coronavirus hits tourism in Kerala

The city’s bountiful tourism industry however has been hit by the virus scare.

“In February and March, we get a good number of tourists from the Far East and South Africa. As Kerala reported its first coronavirus case in January, things began to turn bad. Today, when our tourist destinations should register about 80 per cent hotel occupancy, the current figure is zero. With India now suspending visas till the middle of next month, nothing more needs to be said,” said Jose Pradeep, secretary of Kerala Travel Mart.

(With inputs from IANS)


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