Kerala reports another 506 cases; toll climbs to 70 with 2 new fatalities

: Kerala reported 506

positive cases and 794 recoveries on Thursday as the death toll climbed to 70 with two more fatalities.

The infection tally has now touched 22,297.

Thirty-seven health workers tested positive for the infection today.

The state has decided to implement home care isolation on an experimental basis for health workers who test positive but are asymptomatic.

Those interested will have to give an affidavit about theirwillingness to undergo the treatment at home, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here.

As many as 375 people contracted the virus through contact, while the source of infection of 29 people is not yet known, he said.

Due to some work going on with regard to ICMR portal, Vijayan said the covid figures of today were not complete.

Of the infected, 31 people had come from abroad and 40 from other states.

The two deaths have been reported from Kozhikode and Ernakulam districts.

District wise cases: Thrissur 83, Thiruvananthapuram 70, Pathnamthitta 59, Alappuzha 55, Kozhikode 42, Kannur 39, Ernakulam 34, Malappuram 32, Kottayam 29, Kasaragod 28, Kollam 22, Idukki six, Palakkad four and Wayanad three.

In the last 24 hours, 21, 533 samples have been tested, Vijayan said.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will operate long distance bus services and cashew factories in Kollam will also commence functioning strictly following COVID-19 protocol.

With the 52-day trawling ban coming to a close onJuly31, the government has allowed fishing activities in a controlled manner from August five, but fish auctioning should be totally avoided, the chief minister said.

The fish caught in containment zones should be sold there itself.