The Centre has appreciated Kerala's efforts in containing the toll from Covid-19 to two despite exposure to the contagion triggered mainly by international travellers arriving at the four airports in the state.

The Centre's appreciation was conveyed to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in preliminary remarks made by the Union Health Secretary during the Prime Minister's interaction with Chief Ministers on Thursday.

One lakh rooms identified

Speaking to newspersons here, Vijayan said that, aside from public and private hospitals, the state has readied at least one lakh bath-attached rooms in lodges, tourist homes, hostels and guest houses to deal with any emergency arising on the Covid-19 front.

As on Thursday, the state has 1,65,934 persons under observation of whom 1,65,291 are home quarantines and only 643 are in hospitals. Till date, 8,456 samples have been sent for testing, of which 7,622 have proved negative. The state has now published a list of hospitals for treating Covid-19 patients alone.

The Chief Minister said that 157 persons from the state had attended the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in New Delhi. They are drawn from all 14 districts in the state. The government has gathered all details about the participants, some of whom are under observation with Covid-19 symptoms at homes or hospitals.

Covid-191jpg
 

Covid-192jpg
 

Alert against other diseases

The Chief Minister said that concentrated focus on Covid-19 should not blind the efforts of the state to prevent the spread of other serious afflictions such as Zika virus and Yellow Fever. This demands that people keep the environment clean by not recklessly throwing trash or waste around. Storm water drains should be cleaned up and stagnant pools of water avoided to prevent mosquito breeding.

There are 1,325 community kitchens operating at various towns and villages, which on Thursday provided food to 2.88 lakh people who cannot afford it due the lockdown. Of these, 2.63 lakh persons were served free food. The government has provided Rs 1,646.28 crore in assistance to local administrations overseeing this and other Covid-19-related programmes.

Travellers arriving at the four international airports in the state between March 5 and 24 have been asked to undergo a mandatory home quarantine of 28 days. They may call the dedicated helpline set up by the Health Department for directions. They must keep away from senior citizens (above 60 years of age), children, pregnant women and those with serious ailments, the Chief Minister said.

comment COMMENT NOW