Five new COVID-19 cases in Kerala, elaborate testing arrangements being made: CM
"We are entering a new phase of COVID-19 preventionas 'Pravasi' (expatriate) Malayalees are returning.
It will be a big challenge to keep those coming fromhotspots safe," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan toldreporters here.
"There is need to stop community spread at any costand if we are not able to manage it,the repercussions will bebeyond our control.
We are making elaborate arrangements for testing allthose who are coming back by road, rail,flights and ships,"Vijayan said.
Of the five who tested positive on Tuesday, four,including a two year-old child had come from abroad recentlyby the special flight from Kuwait to Kochi.
The other infected person had returned from Chennai,the state government said.
The child's mother's samples have been sent fortesting and results are awaited.
Of the total 32 people presently under treatmentfor the infection as many as 23 had come from outside Kerala,including 11 from abroad.
Vijayan said 70 per cent of the positive cases werethose who had come from outside the state and the remaininginfected through contact.
Giving details, he said there were 32 cases atpresent.
"Of this, six people had come from Chennai, four fromMaharashtra, two from Nizamuddin, besides 11 foreignreturnees.Nine were infected through contact."
Six of them are from Wayanad district where a truckdriver, who had returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai,tested positive and had infected his close relatives and twoof his contacts.
With the addition of the fresh cases,the totalCOVID-19 cases in the state rose to 524 while 31,600 peopleare under observation, including 473 in various hospitals.
Of the five cases on Tuesday, three are fromMalappuram and one each from Pathnamthitta and Kottayamdistricts.
Kerala was among the first states in India toreport the deadly virus infection, but it has also earnedglobal praise for having effectively managed to contain theoutbreak and ensure a high recovery rate compared to otherregions.
On May 8, Kerala had declared that it had"flattened the curve",but hours later, the state detected morepositive COVID-19 cases among those who were airlifted by theCentre from other countries under its 'Vande Bharat' mission.
Fresh cases were also detected among those who hadreached Kerala from other states.
With the Railways commencing limited passengerservice from Tuesday, Vijayan said there was a possibility ofthe infection spreading in air-conditioned coaches and thiswas theexperience the world over.
"It is better to have non-AC trains and Non-ACvehicles to bring back the stranded Keralites. We will bringthis to the notice of the Centre and railways," he said.
He cautioned that the spread of virus throughclose contacts would be uncontrollable if not containedproperly.
"We all know that 22 people in Kasaragod districtgot infected from one person.Likewise, nine people in Kannurwere infected from one person.
Now in Wayanad, one person gave the infection to sixof his contacts," he said, adding that one needs to understandthe threat the virus poses.
"If we ever lose control, it will be a disaster,"Vijayan said.
The chief minister said Kerala was able to confirmand identify all the cases till now, but the massive rush ofMalayalees from other states and abroad being witnessed,posed a challenge to the government.
"Normalcy has almost returned to the state,"Vijayan said but cautioned people from being complacent andrefrain from behaving like the situation has returned to pre-COVID-19 days.
As of now, Wayanad has eight cases, the highestnumber in the state, followed by Malappuram with four.
Kollam, Ernakulam and Kannur has three cases eachwhile Thrissur, Palakkad two cases each and Pathanamthitta,Kottayam and Kozhikode one case each.
Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Idukki have nocases as of now. RRT UD BNWELCOME BNWELCOME