THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health minister KK Shailaja on Wednesday said no fresh cases of novel coronavirus were reported in the state for the past two days and the situation was gradually coming under control. "Our strong belief is that the virus will not spread more in the community. However, we are not going to sit idle. Our surveillance and monitoring will continue as such," she said.
As many as 2,435 people have been kept in home quarantine till today while 93 people have been admitted to isolation wards across the state. So far, 223 samples of suspected cases were sent to Pune NIV, of which 196 results have been received. Only 3 of them have tested positive.
Shailaja said certain students who have come back from Wuhan university have been asked to report back to college. "We have decided not to allow any student under observation to return. This will be intimated to the Centre; we believe the Centre has already taken up the issue with the embassy in China," she said.
State to rope in religious leaders
The minister said those under observation in houses would have to continue so till February 28 and the health team in the respective areas are visiting them at regular intervals. “The condition of all three tested positive for the virus is stable and there is no need for panic,” she said.
The health department has asked district collectors to seek the help of religious leaders in creating awareness about the need for home quarantine. “During the Nipah outbreak, religious leaders had helped us in creating awareness. Similarly, we have sought their support,” principal health secretary Rajan N Khobragade said.
The minister said three foreign nationals who have come from virus-hit countries have been quarantined in the state. “One of them is in Thiruvananthapuram and two in Ernakulam. However, there are no reports of tourists from the affected regions coming to Kerala now,” she said.
As many as 2,435 people have been kept in home quarantine till today while 93 people have been admitted to isolation wards across the state. So far, 223 samples of suspected cases were sent to Pune NIV, of which 196 results have been received. Only 3 of them have tested positive.
Shailaja said certain students who have come back from Wuhan university have been asked to report back to college. "We have decided not to allow any student under observation to return. This will be intimated to the Centre; we believe the Centre has already taken up the issue with the embassy in China," she said.
State to rope in religious leaders
The minister said those under observation in houses would have to continue so till February 28 and the health team in the respective areas are visiting them at regular intervals. “The condition of all three tested positive for the virus is stable and there is no need for panic,” she said.
The health department has asked district collectors to seek the help of religious leaders in creating awareness about the need for home quarantine. “During the Nipah outbreak, religious leaders had helped us in creating awareness. Similarly, we have sought their support,” principal health secretary Rajan N Khobragade said.
The minister said three foreign nationals who have come from virus-hit countries have been quarantined in the state. “One of them is in Thiruvananthapuram and two in Ernakulam. However, there are no reports of tourists from the affected regions coming to Kerala now,” she said.
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