Thiruvananthapuram Mar 13 : Two more coronavirus positive cases were reported from Kerala on Thursday, making the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 16. The patients, natives of Thrissur and Kannur districts, recently returned from Dubai in United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said during a press meet that the Thrissur native had recently returned from Qatar while the Kannur native came from Dubai. The patients are under treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur and Thrissur Government Hospital respectively.
“We are dealing with a special condition. Things can go out of hand if we do not take extra caution. There is no need to panic but what is the need of the hour is complete cooperation of people with the government,” CM Pinarayi Vijayan said.
It is the first time that people coming from countries other than China and Italy to Kerala have been found positive for coronavirus. Out of the 14 positive cases that were reported till Wednesday, six came to Kerala from Italy. Three students who came from Wuhan too had tested positive, but they recovered. Another five people were infected by one of the families that returned from Italy.
He also said that 65 new people with symptoms were isolated in hospitals across the state on Thursday. In total, 4,180 people are under observation in the state. Among this 3,910 are under home quarantine, while 270 persons with symptoms are isolated in hospitals.
“Airports and seaports in the state are already under observation. Check posts and railway stations will also be under observation from now on. Awareness on the issue will be raised in railway stations through announcements. We are also thinking about making announcements inside the railway stations,” said Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Chief Minister also said that two Keralites living in Bahrain have also been reported to be positive for coronavirus.
(PTI)
