Kerala reports first coronavirus death of 69-year old man from Ernakulum

More measures to support migrant workers, says Chief Minister

Kerala on Saturday reported the death of a 69-year-old Covid-19 patient from Eranakulam. This is the first death reported in the state, after the presence of the pandemic was reported for the first time in the state in January-end.
 

The patient, who returned from Dubai, was admitted to Eranakulam's Covid treatment centre with symptoms of pneumonia on March 22. The medical board, which confirmed the death, said that the person was suffering from severe heart disease and high blood pressure and had  earlier undergone by-pass surgery. He was on ventillator and was reported dead on Saturday morning. The mortal remains have been handed over to the victim's relatives, the centre added.
 

Kerala reported 39 new coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the total number of people under treatment in the state to 164. This is the highest number of positive cases reported in the state on a single day so far. Of the 39 confirmed today, 34 are from Kasaragod district. In all 110,299 are under observation, of which 616 are in hospitals. Nearly 112 patients were admitted to hospitals on Friday.
 

The state government has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking intervention after the Karnataka government blocked the border roads by piling up soil, which is against the government's advice, said Pinarayi Vijayan. The Thalassery-Coorg State Highway-30 has been blocked by the Karnataka government, and this route is a lifeline for flow of essential commodities to Kerala, he said.
 

"Given the situation of national lockdown, this will add much more hardship to the people. You will naturally agree with me that no action impeding the movement of essential commodities should be initiated at this moment of crisis," he added.