New Delhi, Apr 12: Ramping up efforts to "stamp out" coronavirus cases in the state, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has said that not only lockdown but intense testing of people and tracing of their contacts are also equally important in the fight against the outbreak.
Kerala, which was the first state in the country to report a coronavirus infection in late January, has also prepared a time table for coming out of the lockdown and there would be district-specific strategies to tackle the situation while the number of cases are on the decline.
In efforts to curb spreading of coronavirus infections, the country is under a 21-day lockdown till April 14 and many states have sought an extension amid rising number of cases. Kerala has proposed extending the lockdown and gradual phasing out after proper assessment.
"Lockdown should go on till we stamp out entire infections. Now, it is not enough to have lockdown. Equally important is that we should have intense testing, tracing and isolating (of people with coronavirus infections)," he said in a telephonic interview.
The government is closely monitoring the situation and there would be region-specific or district-specific strategies in place to tackle the outbreak, he said.
Against the backdrop of the lockdown that has also disrupted economic activities, Isaac said an exit strategy is being prepared and restrictions are being relaxed in certain segments, including agriculture.
Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on April 12
"The number of patients is coming down (in the state). We hope that in the coming days, the decline will be much more faster," he said during the interview late Friday.
On Saturday, the Kerala government said there were a total of 373 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 228 patients were under treatment in various hospitals in the state.
Keeping the trend in the last few days, the number of people under observation has come down to 1,23,490. So far, 14,613 samples from people with symptoms were sent for testing and the results of 12,818 samples have come negative, the government said in a statement on Saturday.
Indicating that there would be a calibrated exit from the lockdown, Isaac said the withdrawal would depend on three main factors, including the count of cases and the percentage of people who are under observation.
While emphasising that people must also be fed during the lockdown period, Isaac also said a time table is being prepared by the state to come out of the lockdown.
Even as strict measures are being implemented to deal with the current situation, the state is also preparing for a possible third wave of coronavirus cases.
Three students, who had returned from the Chinese city of Wuhan, were tested positive. They were also the first such cases, to be reported in January-February period, and have recovered. Wuhan was the epicentre of coronavirus infections before it spread to other countries.
Later, there was a second wave of infections in Kerala.
According to the minister, the possibility of a third wave has also been considered for the exit strategy.
"A lot of Malayalees are expected to come back from outside the state. We will welcome them... before that, we want to stamp out all Covid cases in Kerala. Flatten the curve completely so that when these people from outside, they will be quarantined, they will be tested and only then they will be able to integrate with the rest of the community," he said.
The Kerala government's measures, including extensive testing and efforts to trace people who came in contact with coronavirus-infected persons, have helped in curbing spreading of infections.
The state's public healthcare system has also been appreciated in various quarters.
"People are health conscious. There is a demand for quality healthcare services and the response to this demand has been strengthening of the public healthcare system. We have a robust public healthcare system," the minister emphasised.
On April 9, Isaac tweeted about low level of coronavirus spreading in the state.
"International norm for Covid spread is 2.6 per 1 Covid patient. Total number of primary Covid infected who arrived in Kerala from abroad is 254. The secondary spread has been limited to 91. The international mortality rate is 5.75. With just 2 deaths, rate in Kerala is 0.58," he had tweeted.
Death toll due to the coronavirus increased to 273 and the number of cases to 8,356 in the country on Sunday.
Comments
@boppanna
At least our prophet married and kept her as a wife........dint leave her in forest after doubting the birth of own wife like the character RAma did in Ramayana after bringing sita from ravana Lanka..... a god doubting own wife....come on..
it is CD Team responsibility to track his record, details and handover to authorised people.
he don't have that much dare to sit at KSA and bark. May be jobless and gossiping with ladies. May be sitting somewhere in slum area and kept family away..
CD Team, please we hereby request you to handover this comments of bopanna and track his comments through which website/location he used and handover to authorised people for further action.
thanks u
@Bopanna KSA
By giving that statement. Don't think u will get away from KSA Govt.
Ur each and every statement might be monitoring. So be careful. rest of ur life might be in jail.
@boppanna
If KSA Comes to know and track u. Then u will be in trouble. They might hang u.
So be careful. Before commenting read the history. U will cry in tears.
Can't allow Muslim woman to suffer...... but can allow rapes ...murders ..and attack on Muslim women in communal violence...specially in Gujarat. And other women of India suffering from liquor drunk husband's and murders...... can allow tobacco products killing their husbands from cancer......can you ban this if you have guts...? Nuts will come in mouth
bopanna
don't take any messengers of Allah's name to insult..you may face disaster soon so be careful and think about your family..
If you want to know about reason why PROPHET MUHAMMED SALLAHU ALAIHIWA SALLAM married HAZRAT AYESHA RADIYALLAHU ANHA, study the history, reason etc. if not send me your email details will share the link so that you can go through it to get better treatment. Also study about his all marriages and realise what you uttered..
your LORD KRISHNA, why he married countless women? have you gone through it? their ages and reasons? leave it ..just look back the profile of your forefathers and study which is more than enough for you to understand and get proper right knowledge..
Just read news about Mohammad Aslam who is a follower of religion of peace .....
Showing his \mardaangi\""
# 25 Bopanna
Bopaana 100% sure you are not born Halal, any way you are the resident of Hell, Like Abu Jahal, Wait for your miss deed speaking ill about Our Holy Prophet Saws, Now Allah will Decree his punishment !
Sooner or Later !
You jokers are complaining about Modi ? Let's start talking about your \Prophet\" - what age was he when he married Aisha ?
He was 53 and Aisha was 6 ! What do you call that behavior ?
Do Kaudi ka Dimaag naheen hai aur sikhane chale aye ..."
Wish he would have realised when he released Babu Bajrangi from jail (who slit wombs of women and killed women & Feotus)
U ruined ur wife's life and career by not giving talaq in young days. And never stayed with her.
Feels sorry for ur wife.
PM Modi is concerned about muslim women..he is not concerned about his own wife...He killed more than 3000 muslims. He is simply implementing RSS agenda...we are now in end times. there will be a big disaster in the world. nobody might have seen and heard that kind of man made disaster...may allah protect our emaan....Ameen.
Super basavaraj ...entha comment ...superb kanree....yelli rikacha and faizal bhai message illa ...mostly burqa hudukta irbeku Mangalore rally nalli participate madlikke .. Yesterday a Hindu gal was brutally raped for more than 20 days in shimoga ...all are perfect manual followers. Haha ....in that many were madrasa students who perfected Quran and ejected for 50 days ... This shows how this third rated jihadis treat women ....yelree faizhal Bhai banreee Johnny walker haakistini banree. ...
What a drama PM! You could have got job in movies! ANSWER US ABOUT KASHMIR! His party along with media is deviating the current heated crisis of kashmir because you dont have a SOLUTION! WE MUSLIM WOMEN ARE VERY SAFE BECAUSE OF THE RIGHTS OUR RELIGION HAS GIVEN US & he needn't show us any pity..if he really want to help us..WE ARE ACTUALLY struggling for RIGHTS TO WEAR HIJAB..ALLOW US!
Modi is the perfect follower of Rama. He threw his wife into fire, she came unhurt, he drove her to the forest, she bore two children, he tried to kill her children, he lost the fight, finally he forced his wife to commit suicide. Modi driven his wife out as she was not beautiful, he neither divorced nor accepted her as his wife - a Trishanku Naraka (hell life in this world) a gift for his wife. what we can expect from a person who cant be a MAN to his wife. Old man's crocodile tears and monkey joke! Laugh loudly!!
Narendra Modi,
Yes Muslim's are well aware of Jews n their policy. And their interaction behind Muslims. Even Jews know very well they cannot come over Islam . You rss just now started hold Jews tail n starred to call jew community as your father. Remember you even don't know how they will remove u all from the universe. So it is better to follow Jews training n not to play with Islam religion.
Jai Hind!
Narendra Mode,
Yes Muslim's are well aware of Jews n their policy. And their intration behind Muslims. Even Jews know very well they cannot come over Islam . You rss just now started hold Jews tail n starred to call jew community as your father. Remembe you even don't know how they will remove u all from the universe. So it is better to follow Jews training n not to play with Islam religion.
Jai Hind!
Dis guy has no ability of looking after his own wife and protecting her. Now duniya badalne chala g...du
Any comments on ua own Wife???
Dear Modiji
When you was the CM of Gujarath how many lives of muslim women you have destroyed in the riots
Dear Modi Ji.
Kindly take a decision about your own one and only Wife Jashoda ben. Please humble request.
When our honorable PM was the CM of Gujarat hundreds of mothers,sisters and teenage girls raped and tortured publicly. That time he did't show any respect and justice to the victim of Muslim women's and culprits are not punished. Now he is acting crocodile tears in the name of protection and justice to Muslim Women. He is fooling the Muslim community.
@ #9 Basavaraja is very Familiar with CAT WALK.
Yesterday there was a rally in UP ...nearly 75% participants were women ...but it was not the case. . Madrasa students and mullahs took their wives burkha and participated in rally ..by looking at their cat walk we could make out
Really interesting. Jashodhaben's life also is ruined by triple RTI talaq.
Sirji, pehle hamara problem solve karo. Baadme beary yonka peeche jao. Come on yaar...Mardangi dikhao...
Where were u mr modi when Muslim pregnant women's were being killed during anti Muslim genocide in gujarath 2002 by ur bjp and bajrang dal activists?
What about joshadabein. Both are One And the same.
Now ur worried. Where were u when Muslim girls where murdered during Gujarati riots.
First look at your wife.
you ruined your wife.
Real Muslims never ruin their women.
first u think about your wife, other women will be fine.
Thanks coastaldigest for remembering his life's love story.
first think about your wife she wasted her precious time of her life. then think about other women's.
Modi loves selfie......he has his wife in Gujrath....he even did not give single talak her....ignoring her.....
Muslims wont agree about his formula....he has to listen to all ulemas.....they will give him a best suggestion.....
Modi is ignorant about Islamic way of life.....
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