COVID-19 cases rose again in the State with the reporting of 39 new positive cases on Friday. The highest in a single-day surge.
Kasaragod district accounted for 34 of these cases while two are from Kannur. One case each was reported from Kollam, Thrissur, and Kozhikode.
Of the 39 cases, 25 are people who returned from Dubai and 13 cases are all contacts of imported cases in Kasaragod. The source details of one case is still being ascertained. Though it might seem like COVID-19 transmission is surging in the State, it should be remembered that all 39 positive cases have been reported in people who are already under quarantine.
However, it is indeed worrisome that some of these patients seemed to have travelled extensively, before they were quarantined.
Current figures
As on Friday, the State has reported 176 cases, of whom 164 are currently under treatment. A total of 1,10,229 persons are under surveillance, of whom 616 are isolated in hospitals.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, briefing media, said that the State should be prepared to face any possible health emergency in the coming days.
He reiterated the importance of physical distancing, reduced social interactions and the universal safety precautions that every individual needed to follow if the State had to avert a possible health crisis.
Mr. Vijayan said that any person who had come into the State recently from abroad or from other States should undergo the mandatory quarantine. Anyone who might have made contact with foreigners recently should also inform Health authorities and remain under surveillance.
The elderly and those with chronic lifestyle diseases should avoid social interaction and stay indoors.
Politician’s case
He said that the extensive travel history of the local politician at Idukki who had tested positive on Thursday had made contact tracing an impossible task. The list of his possible contacts included everyone from senior administrators to MLAs and Ministers. Mr. Vijayan said that all these “contacts” were not put on quarantine as the details of the case had emerged after the incubation period of the disease. However, they had all been asked to watch out for any symptoms.
“This case is a warning for each of us that the coronavirus is not far away and that only individual vigil and precautions can save us,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that the government was pushing the idea of rapid test for COVID-19 with the ICMR. It was exploring all treatment options, including the “wonder drug” used by Cuba (Interferon Alpha-2B Recombinant), for which permission of the Central Drugs Control authorities had to be sought.
Mr. Vijayan said that he would appeal to the Prime Minister to expand the COVID-19 package announced by the Centre to suit each State’s situation and to include the private health sector employees in the health insurance announced under the package.
