As the persons tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday shot up to 24 and the number of Covid-19 patients in the State increased to 666, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan blamed the expatriates who returned to Kerala for the spike in pandemic.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vijayan said that Kerala was facing a serious situation as the number of coronavirus afflicted persons were on the rise. The State saw 12 persons testing positive for the pandemic on Tuesday while the numbers doubled by Wednesday evening.
“Out of the 24 persons tested positive on Wednesday, 12 were expatriates who returned to the State while 11 were those who returned from Maharashtra (eight) and Tamil Nadu (three),” said the Chief minister. He said though the situation in the State is precarious because of the increase in the number of persons tested positive, the Government has decided to conduct the Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination from May 26. The Vocational Higher Secondary Certificate Examination too will be held simultaneously, he said.
The Government is tightening the rules in the backdrop of the hike in the number of persons tested positive for covid-19, said the Chief Minister.
“Two inspectors general of police have been appointed to oversee the rules governing the lockdown. On Wednesday 156 persons were hospitalized in the State. Hospitals itself are facing a serious situation with 536 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals,” he said.
Air services are resuming their services from May 26 and all airports in the State have been asked to get ready for flight operations. “Ward-level committees have been constituted in the State to interact with persons who have been asked to undergo home quarantine,” said the CM. He said severe action would be initiated against those who violate the rules regarding social distancing and those who do not wear face masks.