Kerala confirms 40 new cases of COVID-19: Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 40 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Kerala on Wednesday taking the total number of positive cases to 1,004 in state of which 445 are active cases.

"With people returning to the state, Kerala has entered the next phase of COVID-19 prevention and containment. There is a spike in the number of cases," Kerala CM said.

Giving the district-wise break-up of the new cases he said, "Ten persons in Kasargod district, eight from Palakkad district, seven in Alappuzha districts, four in Kollam district, three each from Pathanamthitta and Wayanad districts, two each in Kozhikode and Ernakulam districts and one from Kannur district, have been tested positive."

Of the newly confirmed cases, 28 persons have returned from other States (Maharashtra-16, Tamil Nadu-5, Delhi-3, Andhra Pradesh-1, Telangana-1, Karnataka-1 and Uttar Pradesh-1) while nine have come back from overseas (UAE-5, Saudi Arabia-2, Qatar-1 and UK-1). Three have contracted the disease locally, the Chief Minister said.

As of today, there are 1,07,832 people under observation in the State. Of these, 1,06,940 are under surveillance at their homes or institutional quarantine centres and 892 are isolated in hospitals. 229 persons were hospitalised today.

Till now 1,05,368 people have arrived in Kerala from foreign countries and other States by various means - 9,416 through airports, 1,621 through the seaport, 5,363 through railway station and 88,968 through border check posts.

( With inputs from ANI )