Kerala today reported 24 fresh Covid-19 cases taking the total number of patients under treatment to 237. Of the new cases, 12 are from Kasargod District, three from Ernakulam district, two each from Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kannur districts, and one from Palakkad district. Nine of the fresh cases were reported in those who returned from overseas and the rest got the infection from local contact. Today, one patient each from Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode districts have recovered.
Across Kerala, 1,64,130 persons are under observation. This includes 1,63,508 people under home observation and 622 in hospitals. 7,965 samples were sent for testing today and 7,256 reported negative.
Giving an overall picture of the patients since the outbreak of Coronavirus, the Chief Minister said, “Of the 265 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kerala so far, 191 were non-resident Keralaites who came from other countries to the State, seven were foreign nationals (tourists) and 67 got the infection through direct (primary) contact. 26 patients including four foreigners have recovered completely from the Coronavirus disease.”
He also announced that the Kasargod Medical College hospital would be fully functional as a Covid care centre in the next four days. The Chief Minister has warned the people that those who violate the lockdown instructions would be booked under the provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Control Act 2020. This stern warning from the CM has come in the wake of an increase in the vehicular traffic on the roads during the last few days.
Kerala CM requests people to increase milk consumption
There has been a considerable decrease in the consumption of milk in Kerala since the lockdown was announced and the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) has reported a surplus of 1,80,000 litres milk.
Milma’s efforts to send the surplus milk to Tamil Nadu to convert it into milk powder had failed in the past few days. With the intervention of the State Government, Tamil Nadu has now agreed to accept 50,000 litres milk at the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (Aavin) plant at Erode. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Government for making this arrangement.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has also appealed to the people of the State to increase their milk consumption and said that this would immensely benefit the dairy farmers during this crisis period. Efforts have also been taken to distribute Milma milk and other milk products through the outlets of the Kerala State Co-operative Consumers Federation (ConsumerFed) across the State. The surplus milk will also be distributed through anganwadis and the labour camps for migrant workers in the State. The State Government hopes to protect the dairy farmers through these initiatives.