9 more COVID-19 cases in Kerala, state tally reaches 345

Nine more COVID-19 cases have been reported from Kerala, taking the tally of coronavirus cases in the state to 345, including 259 active cases and 13 recoveries.

"Till date, there are 345 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state with 259 patients currently under treatment in hospitals across Kerala," said the State Health Department.

Out of nine fresh cases of the COVID-19 infection, four are from Kannur District, two from Alappuzha district, and one each from Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Kasargod districts.

Four of the new cases are in persons who returned from overseas, two who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Markaz Nizamuddin of the national capital and the remaining three got the infection from a local contact.The test results of 13 patients came negative on Wednesday. Three each in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur districts, two each from Idukki, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts and one from Kannur district are those who were cured of the disease.

The total number of people under observation in Kerala has further dropped down. As on Wednesday, 1,40,474 people were under observation, 1,39,725 at homes and 749 at hospitals.

While 169 people were admitted to hospitals on Wednesday, 11,986 samples have been sent for testing so far and 10,906 results have come negative.

Addressing a press conference here, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed that so far 212 people who have returned to Kerala from the Tablighi Jamaat event have been identified and the infection has been confirmed in 15 of them.

He said that 273 new posts have been approved by the Cabinet for the 300 bedded Kasargod Medical College hospital. "Half of the posts will be appointed soon on a priority basis and the rest, as and when the hospital is fully functional," he said.

Vijayan also informed that the State would get 20,000 testing kits from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). There will be no shortage of testing kits in Kerala.

Moreover, optical shops in Kerala will be allowed to open once in a week to assist those who are using spectacles and need to repair them or get new ones.