Nine coronavirus cases reported in Kerala

Kerala reported nine new cases of coronavirus on Friday, with seven from the worst affected Kasaragod district, taking the total number of persons under treatment in the state to 251. Besides, Kasaragod, one case each was detected from Thrissur and Idukki, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan media after a COVID-19 review meeting this evening.

"Including one nurse, 14 were cured today. Five from Kannur, three from Kasaragod, two each from Idukki and Kozhikode, one each from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam were cured today," Vijayan said.

The Chief Minister praised health officials, saying their efforts had led to the discharge of an elderly couple, who were affected with the deadly virus. "A total of 1,69,997 people are under observation in the state and 706 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.

With today's new cases, the total number of affected persons in the state has gone up to 295. A total of 9,139 samples were sent for testing from the state," Vijayan said.

Two deaths have been reported from Kerala so far. The chief Minister said that from now onwards, samples of those with even mild symptoms would be tested The chief minister also said that more testing would be done in the following days, adding that, as of now, samples of those with multiple symptoms were being tested but from now onwards, mild symptoms will also be sent for testing.

Vijayan said a 17-member task force, headed by former Chief Secretary K M Abraham, has been formed as suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. In Kerala, Kasaragod is the biggest coronavirus hotspot with 118 cases and at least 10,248 people under observation.

Neighbouring Kannur district has got 52 COVID-19 cases. The Chief Minister praised Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor for taking the initiative to provide the state with rapid testing kits.

"We received 1,000 kits today. At least 2000 more will reach the state on Sunday. This was due to the effort taken by Shashi Tharoor. We appreciate his noble gesture,"Vijayan said. With these kits, results of Covid-19 tests,which now take at least seven to eight hours, will be out in 2.5 hours.

Asked about the Prime Minister's call to people to switch off lights at their homes and light lamps, candles or mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on April 5 to display the country's "collective resolve" to defeat COVID-19, Vijayan said it is good if to spread light in people's lives. "It's good to spread light. But today a lot of commoners, including daily wage workers, vendors, volunteers, delivery people, newspaper boys, grocery shopkeepers and medical shop people are facing difficulties.

I hope after Sunday, the centre will bring light into their lives in these darkest hours by providing financial assistance," Vijayan said. He also rubbished charges that the Kerala government had closed the roads bordering Tamil Nadu following a huge increase in the number of coronavirus cases in that state "As of now, there is some difficulty in normal travel due to nationwide lockdown. But that doesn't mean that we will close our borders. We will never do that. They are our brothers," he said.

The state has seen a standoff with Karnataka which closed its border roads with Kerala after the COVID-19 outbreak. The Kerala High Court had earlier issued an interim order asking Karnataka to allow vehicles from Kasaragod with patients to reach Mangaluru.

Karnataka had approached the Supreme Court to stay the order but the apex court today declined to do so..