Total 161 patients under treatment
Thiruvananthapuram, May 20: Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan today informed that 24 new cases of Coronavirus infection were confirmed in Kerala today. Seven persons from Palakkad district, four in Malappuram district, three from Kannur district, two each in Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur districts, and one each from Kasargod, Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts are those who have been tested positive. 12 of them have returned from abroad and 11 have come back from other States (Maharashtra-8 & Tamil Nadu-3). One, in Kannur district, is a case of local transmission.
Meanwhile, five patients under treatment have tested negative today. They are two in Thrissur district, and one each in Kollam, Wayanad and Kasargod districts.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kerala is 666 and presently, 161 patients are under treatment in different hospitals across the State.
74,398 persons are now under surveillance in the State. 73,865 are quarantined at their homes and 533 are under isolation in hospitals. 155 persons were admitted to hospitals today.
So far, 48,543 samples have been sent for testing and 46,961 samples have been confirmed with no infection. As part of sentinel surveillance of high-risk category, 6,090 samples were collected separately and tested. Out of these, 5,728 samples have tested negative.
No new place was declared as hotspots today and currently, there are 33 hotspots in the State.
Addressing the media, Chief Minister said, “With a significant increase in the number of patients following the return of Keralites from other places, we are moving to a serious situation and certain areas will need severe restrictions. With just 16 patients under treatment on May 8, today we have 161. Our diagnosis strategies are being formulated based on these figures. Knowing how we are getting the disease itself is a way to stop its spread.”
The CM also cautioned the people against targeting those who are coming back to the State as carriers of the disease. We should remember that most of them are healthy and not infected. Only a few of them are found to be infected. Similarly, those who are being quarantined or those who have recovered should not be ostracised. They need not be excluded from our society. People should not get carried away by any misinformation on social media.”, he added.