Kerala witnesses decline in new Covid cases

Kochi: Even as the number of Covid-19 cases is on the rise in other parts of the country, Kerala is witnessing a considerable drop in the number of new cases in the last couple of days.

The progression rate of the virus infection registered decline since April 2.

Though April 1 had 21 fresh cases, the number has gone downward from April 3 when new cases declined to nine. On April 4, there were 11 new cases while on April 5 the number dipped to eight.

As of now, the total number of confirmed cases in Kerala is 314 with 256 patients undergoing treatment currently. Two deaths were reported, from Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram, while 56 patients have been recovered.

Kasargod remains the major hotspot with 143 positive cases followed by Kannur (50 cases) and Ernakulam (25 cases). Wayanad, Kottayam and Alappuzha are the least affected districts with only three cases each.

Though the state witnessed an increase in the number of new cases since March 10, a sudden surge was visible from March 20.

The biggest one day surge in the number of cases was reported on March 27 when 39 persons tested positive for the killer virus of whom 34 were from Kasargod district.

Though the number suddenly dipped to six on the next day (March 28) it again surged to 20 on March 29.

On March 30, the graph once again went northward with 32 fresh cases on a single day. The number of new cases on March 31 dipped to a single digit of 7.

Overall, 1,58,617 people are under observation in the state with 1,57,841 persons at home quarantined and the rest 776 in hospitals.

Meanwhile, this week is crucial for the state as the quarantine period of hundreds of people arrived from foreign countries till March 22 will end by April 7.

But, as the state government has recently revised the quarantine period from 14 days to 28 days, the foreign returnees and those who came from other states have to remain in quarantine for the next 14 days.