The Office of Health minister K K Shailaja has informed that 1053 individuals, including the 247 brought under surveillance on Thursday, were under observation for for Coronavirus in Kerala. On January 29, the number was 806.

Of the 1053 under surveillance, 1038 are quarantined in their homes. On Friday, seven suspected cases were admitted to isolation wards in hospitals across Kerala. In total, only 15 are in hospitals.

The samples of 24 suspected individuals have been sent to the Pune Virology Institute for testing. Of this, 15 have tested negative. The remaining results are awaited.

The highest number of suspected cases are in Kozhikode: 166. Close behind are Malappuram (154), Ernakulam (153) and Kollam (100) and Thiruvananthapuram (83). Least cases have been reported from Idukki (14) and Wayanad (16).

Since the virus had spread from China, the minister said those who had returned from China should continue to remain alert. “Those who had arrived from China should desist from travelling to other places and should quarantine themselves securely in a room within their homes for 28 days,” a Health Department bulletin said.

The bulletin said that people should observe individual and general sanitation. "The individual should cover nose and mouth with a handkerchief while sneezing or coughing and hands should be regularly washed using soap," the bulletin said.

Health minister K K Shylaja said that medicines and preventive equipments would be made available through Medical Services Corporation. The minister has also directed health officials to create special facilities for the treatment of the medical students who had tested positive for the virus.

“If people experience cough, fever or respiratory difficulties, they should reach the special facility set up in all districts after contacting the facility directly. They should not visit any other hospital,” the bulletin added.

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