Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac tested positive for Covid-19. Members of his staff and others who were in contact with him have been urged to self-quarantine. This is the first time that a Kerala minister has contracted the virus. Isaac has been transferred to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
On Sunday, Kerala recorded the highest count in a single day with 3,082 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number to 87,784, the state’s Health Ministry said. Kerala was the first state to report a case of Covid-19 infection when a medical student returned from China in January. The infection rate in the state is constantly increasing.
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Among the total of 87,784 cases, recovered patients represent 64,755 while active cases number 22,676. With ten more victims, the state’s death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 348. Despite the rising numbers, Prime Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state had fared better compared to other states. According to the state Health Ministry, Kerala had one case per million of 2,168 as of September 1, while in Tamil Nadu it was 5,710 and 5,310 in Karnataka.
CM Vijayan had warned last week that cases may increase as the government relaxed the rules in light of the Onam holidays. But the government has made clear that a total shutdown was not a viable option to control the spread and wants to increase testing and create better awareness among people for living with the virus. The only metro in the state, Kochi Metro, will resume services on Monday after being suspended in March.
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