india

Updated: Mar 10, 2020 17:43 IST

Six more people tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala on Tuesday forcing the state government to cancel all public events and close down educational institutions to contain the disease.

After an emergency cabinet meeting, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said six fresh cases were reported from the state taking the total number of infected in the state to 12. The new cases are family members and neighbours of the three who returned from Italy on February 29 and dodged health authorities.

Highlights Out of the 12, nine are in Pathanamthitta, two in Kottayam and one in Kochi

Kerala cancelled all public events, shut some classes for a month

1116 people under surveillance in the state and 149 in various hospitals

They have shown the signs of the disease in initial testing, which could increase the number of infections in the county to more than 50, if the developments are confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

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Among the 12 infected, one is in Kochi, two in Kottayam and rest are in Pathanamthitta. At least 1116 people are under observation in the state and of these, 967 have been quarantined in their homes and rest admitted to hospitals.

“A high vigil is the need of the hour. We have enough experience in controlling another outbreak (nipah) two years ago. We will overcome this challenge also. Everyone should co-operate with health and civic officials,” the chief minister said.

More test results, including those of the parents of a three-year-old who tested positive in Kochi on Sunday, are pending in the state, which has the highest density of population in the country.

From imported cases to local transmission, the state government has pressed the emergency button announcing a series of measures to check the spread of coronavirus.

Vijayan said schools till Class 7 will be closed for a month and all public functions stand cancelled as a precautionary measure. He also urged people to avoid festivals and other large gatherings.

“This is also the season of festivals and weddings. We can avoid large gatherings. Weddings can be done in simple functions also. In this situation, it is not advisable to go for a pilgrimage in Sabarimala. All will have to co-operate with us to contain the virus,” he said.

The hill shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala will open for the monthly poojas on Thursday.

However, examinations for Classes 8 to 10 and higher secondary would be held. Students, who are under observation, would be permitted to write exams in a special room.

Also read: Experts warn against ‘false hope’, say summer may not help tackle coronavirus

The chief minister said all colleges, madrasas and tutorials also be closed till March 31.

The government reiterated it will deal with people who hide their travel history and mingle with others.

State health minister KK Shailaja, who also attended the press meet, said those infected include the grandparents of a man who came back to the state from Italy.

She also said except one, a three-year-old in Kochi, all the Covid-19 patients were infected by the three people who came from Italy and had failed to inform health officials about their return.

“We have seen how negligence on the part of three persons who returned from Italy created such a situation. We want people to be more responsible and vigilant. Voluntary disclosure is crucial in containing the virus,” she said.

Also read: Italy’s link in 35 of India’s 44 coronavirus cases

Many social and religious bodies have announced their support to the government.

The Catholic Bishops Council has issued separate guidelines to conduct prayers and other offerings at churches—devotees are being asked to receive holy communion, considered the most sacred, on their hand and not the tongue. It has also advised believers to avoid large gatherings and masses.

The Nair Service Society has also asked people to skip big gatherings. Cinema theatres have announced they will not screen movies and film units have also suspended their shooting.

Hotels and resorts have been asked not to entertain foreign guests until further notice.

Kerala had already strengthened its efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus on Monday after six cases were reported from the state.

Health minister Shailaja had on Monday called for community surveillance, scaling up of contact tracing and tapping local bodies to stop further spread of the deadly disease.

The state had reported India’s first three cases of coronavirus in January this year and all of them have recovered fully.

The state had witnessed the outbreak of another dangerous virus, nipah, two years ago. Though it was claimed 17 lives it was localised and contained effectively

There are 49 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country so far.