THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state heaved a sigh of relief as 14 people recovered from Covid-19 and the number of new cases came down to single digit --- 9 --- on Friday. Of the fresh cases, seven were from Kasaragod and one each from Kannur and Thrissur.
A nurse in Kottayam was among the 14 people recovered. The others who shook off the virus were from Kannur (five), Kasaragod (three), Idukki and Kozhikode (two each) and Pathanamthitta and Kottayam (one each). An elderly couple from Ranni was discharged from the Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Friday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attributed it to the excellence of the state’s healthcare workers.
Task force constituted
The chief minister announced that a 17-member task force had been constituted to formulate Kerala’s suggestions regarding the lockdown restrictions currently imposed across the state. The task force chaired by former chief secretary K M Abraham has been formed as directed by the prime minister, Pinarayi said.
Besides Abraham, the task force will comprise Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mammen Mathew, M V Shreyams Kumar, Bishop Mathew Arackal, Aruna Sundararaj, Jacob Punnoose, B Raman Pillai, Rajeev Sadanandan, Dr B Ekbal, Dr M V Pillai, Dr Fazal Gafoor, Muralee Thummarukudy, Dr Mridul Eapen, Dr P A Kumar, Dr Khadeeja Mumtaz and Irudaya Rajan.
Pinarayi urged banks to ensure that there is no overcrowding of people who approach to withdraw `500 assistance announced under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana. The CM lauded the efforts of employees in the banking sector who have been working during the time of crisis.
Rapid test kits arrive; CM thanks Tharoor
The chief minister announced a shift in the testing protocol from now on. Till now, samples of people showing five symptoms were taken. From now, samples of people with one or two symptoms will be subjected to tests.The first batch of 1,000 Rapid RT PCR kits arrived in the capital on Friday. CM Pinarayi Vijayan thanked Thiruvanan-thapuram MP Shashi Tharoor for using his MPLAD fund for procuring the kits