Combating Covid-19: Kerala CM announces special action plan for Kasargod district

Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan on March 31, announced a special action plan for Kasargod district. The northernmost district of the State has become the hotbed of coronavirus infection with the maximum number of positive cases confirmed in Kerala.

Briefing the media, the Chief Minister said, "A special action plan will be implemented in Kasargod. Currently, Kasargod district has the maximum number of positive cases and also the highest number of people under hospital observation. Data from the panchayats in the district will be used to test people with symptoms and also to identify people in contact with them. A COVID centre has started functioning at the Kasargod medical college hospital. The Central University of Kerala, situated in Kasaragod district, has got permission from ICMR to conduct testing samples. There is no shortage of masks or other protective gear in the hospitals there."

Second Covid-19 death; dip in fresh coronavirus cases
Kerala reported its second coronavirus related death with a patient in Thiruvananthapuram district succumbing to the outbreak at the Medical College here. The victim, a 68-year old man died on Monday night. He had multiple health complications and is believed to have got the virus infection through primary contact.
On the positive side, there has been a considerable drop in the number of fresh cases reported in the State with only seven new cases confirmed on Tuesday. This takes the total number of patients under treatment to 215. Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod districts accounted for two each case while Kollam, Thrissur and Kannur districts had one each. Six of the new cases have been contracted through local contact.
Overall, 1,63,129 people are under observation throughout the State with 1,62,471 persons at home observation and the rest 658 in hospitals. The highest number of 163 persons under hospital observation is in Kasargod district, followed by 108 in Kannur and 102 in Malappuram districts. 7,485 samples were sent for testing and 6,381 tested negative. 150 persons were admitted to the hospital today in Kerala. "We are able to send more samples for testing and get results faster. There is good progress in testing", the Chief Minister said.
All efforts to trace participants of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin and Malaysia
With the Tablighi Jamaat emerging as the largest known viral vector of the coronavirus with a large number of its participants being tested positive, the State government is concerned about the health of the participants from Kerala who have returned to the State after attending the Tablighi Jamaat. "All efforts will be taken to trace the participants of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin and Malaysia. They all need to be tested for coronavirus infection. The District Collectors have prepared the list of participants with the help of Police and their testing is being done on a priority basis", the CM added.
Distribution of free ration starts in Kerala starts from April 1,2020
The distribution of the free ration announced by the Kerala Government will start from April 01 in the State. Foodgrains will be distributed during the morning till noon to those under the Antyodaya scheme and priority cardholders. The non-priority cardholders will get the ration in the afternoon. Only five persons will be allowed at a time in a retail ration outlet as per the social distancing norms. Each dealer could introduce a token system to avoid crowding of card-holders. Volunteers from LSG bodies can help in home-delivery of foodgrains for the elderly and sick who are not able to reach the ration shops.
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