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
who knows with immense pressure from policticans he might have been framed ..becoz ruling party needs one particular community votes and we know how murders of prashanth poojari and vaman poojari ( witness in murder ) got closed .vaman poojaris death shown as suicide .prashanth poojari murder cases all accused are getting acquitted .one jihadi who shouted islamic war cry while butchering our prashant poojari was standing next to abhaya chandra jain ... so conspiracy theory cannot be ruled out ... ankit is just accused and he is not proven guilty , so let our court decide who is culprit ... we dont talk in rubbish language like hang him , shoot him ... as we are not living in third rated countries , which asks proof from males if rape has hapened ...such a pathetic rules ...long live sangh parivar ... jaio sri ram
Narianna....are you not aware that the bloody goon has admitted his criminal deeds... Are u still in the influence of snake food ??? ....
If he comes out within 10 days, I will be not surprised, since we know the DNA of Indians .... as it happened in the case of Sadvi and Akshamdam cases....
I dont think he has stabbed ..if proved , let him be punished for murder ... but certainly not for silly silly cases ...
comment #16 , first ninna community members ge lecture kodu mama ... no need to advise billawa leaders ... third rated kelasa maaadtha irodu nimma jana maarre ... Mr Kazi , we are not living in third rated country to hang anyone without trial and he has not done any major mistake ... anyways he will come out within 10 days ...love to see many one particular community guys using hindu names and posting their frustration .:) hahaha ...
before punishing this culprit, find which VHP criminal is behind this idiot fellow and put him in the jail forever
These Billava boys are brain washed by RSS leaders. Why can't they brain wash their own children for such criminal act? No they will send their children to abroad for higher studies and for job.
Billava leaders must open their mind and guide their youngsters the real motto of these RSS leaders and keep them away from their bhakthi. etc.
baddy maga, i am waiting for him to get in case like this, he s flying all the time in our colony, police should break his leg again he should not enter our place.
Viren, right is right and wrong is wrong....where is the proof for your allegation against minorities....totally rubbish.....This criminal has been thought to do this by Sanghis to promote communal disharmony around.....
Good job police, specially the mosque for installing CCTV camera, otherwise this criminal would have went scott free. Give him harshest punishment so that others should learn good lesson from it....
Viren ..........No killing justfied .....as far as Nationalism concern no one need your Help...thay all know who you are and your dirty RSS and its wings....so keep your Brahmanism with you at home ....we all know who killed RTI Activists that too being a HINDU....OK ...adella OK neevu ee deshadalli dwesha YAKE ...saaka ?
Elli Nyaya illavo allide ....karya...
send him out of india, hang him to death,,,very dangerous people....
lets pray for his family, god bless u all.
this is a serious issue, should consider him as a main suspect of all the crime and should investigate properly all the goons should be caught and punished properly, my big suggestion is to cut the legs of these type of goons and let them sit on streets for begging,
Very Sad news rickshaw driver, \let his soul rest in peace\" but killing in Hindustan, stone pelting in Hindustan all these doing are really condemnable, but this Criminal does not look like Poojary Family definitely I belong too but his Nature his body language looks like \"Cross Breed\" you readers must have understood that means must Illegal!!!!!!! so you Understand our Local language says for that type of Goons, he never ever can become a good Human, if you punish or put in Jail whatever you do Tail of \"DOG\" can never become straight
Jai hoo Modianna"
guilty must be punished.
Every crime is condemnable. but, we all know that you are a nationalist. If compared to the crime of those who back stab our motherland what u did is nothing.
totally Brain washed by the RSS goons.
lets kill this dog in street by stone.
Should be put on Lie detector, to get the details of his masters / brain washers / supporters .... Afterwords should be hanged in a public place .... as a lesson for the other goons of the coastal districts ...
hang him to death, these type of creatures are creating trouble to the society.
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