8 new cases, 1,495 people under observation in Kerala

Coronavirus in Kerala: State put under lockdown as number of positive case rises to 18

PUNE/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India’s count of coronavirus cases rose by 18 to 62 with eight testing positive from Kerala, five from Maharashtra, four from Karnataka and one from J&K on Tuesday.A Pune couple, their daughter, one of their co-travellers from a group of 40 on a Dubai trip, and the cab driver who drove the family from Mumbai to Pune on March 1 on their return were among the five confirmed cases in Pune.The Kerala government went on high alert after eight new cases were reported, taking the total number of infected to 14. The government decided to impose severe restrictions, including closure of educational institutions and cinema houses till the month-end, to halt its further spread.The infection was confirmed in parents of the three-year-old boy, who tested positive for the virus earlier, on Tuesday evening. They have also been quarantined at Ernakulam Medical College Hospital. Among the other new cases in the state, four are admitted in Kottayam and two in Pathanamthitta. These people had contracted the virus from the three persons who tested positive in Pathanamthitta earlier.As many as 1,495 people are under observation in the state, of which 259 are admitted to various hospitals. A specially-convened cabinet meet on Tuesday decided to close down all educational institutions, barring medical education institutions, till March 31. No examinations will be conducted for Class I to VII. All tuition centres and entrance coaching centres have been asked to shut till the month-end.CM Pinarayi Vijayan urged all religious institutions to organise festivals and rituals without mass gatherings. He has called for shutting down cinema halls, postponing marriages and other large private gatherings till March 31.