Kerala steps up measures to stop coronavirus spread after 6 cases: Health Minister

Kerala steps up measures to stop coronavirus spread after 6 cases: Health Minister

Mangalore Today News Network

Kerala, Mar 09, 2020: Kerala on Monday ramped up efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus after six new cases were reported from the state, taking the number of people infected across the country to 43, health minister KK Shailaja said Hindustan Times.

 

A three-year-old boy was the latest to be infected by coronavirus a day after five cases of COVID-19 surfaced in Pathanamthitta in the state, which had reported India’s first three cases in January. All three people fully recovered and were sent home.

KK Shailaja talked about new measures which have been put in place after the fresh cases of coronavirus in the state.

“The state is on high alert. What we need community surveillance now. Our main target is not to lose any life. We will go all out. We will overcome,” she said during a press conference in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.

Among the state government’s effort to block the coronavirus, the minister said, will be scaling up of contact tracing and tapping local bodies prominently for the task. The government also sought the help of residents associations.

Shailaja also said more laboratories have been given permission to test samples of suspected patients and that the Centre was approached for more labs.

The minister said 971 people are under observation in the state and 270, who were in primary contact of the five infected, have been isolated. She added that 449 others are also under observation.

She also requested people coming back from abroad to report immediately.

“Responsible behaviour is key to contain the virus. Those who flout this will be dealt with sternly,” she warned.

Three people have been booked for spreading rumours on social media about coronavirus, she said.