In the biggest single day spike of Covid 19 cases, Kerala on Saturday, April 17, recorded 13,835 coronavirus cases. The test positivity rate in the state stood at 17.04.
Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister K K Shylaja said on Saturday that the state was well prepared to face any exigencies. She told media persons that the rise in Covid cases and the state was all prepared to take on the second wave of Covid 19. She said that group testing and mass vaccination have been started. The number of Covid inspections in the state will be increased, she added.
CASES IN DISTRICTS
Ernakulam reported the highest number of 2187 cases followed by Kozhikode 1504. When Malappuram district recorded 1430, Kottayam had 1154 cases, Thrissur 1149, Kannur 1132, Thiruvananthapuram 909, Alappuzha 908, Palakkad 864, Pathanamthitta 664, Idukki 645, Wayanad 484, Kollam 472 and Kasaragod 333 covid 19 cases.
The health officials said that no one from the UK, South Africa and Brazil who arrived in the state tested Covid 19 positive. As of Saturday, 105 people from the UK, seven from South Africa and one from Brazil who tested positive on reaching the have recovered, they said. The officials said that 11 people were diagnosed with the genetically modified virus.
As part of the group test, 1,35,159 samples were collected on Friday from different parts of the state. In the last 24 hours, 81,211 samples were tested. An official statement said that 27 deaths in the last few days were due to Covid 19 and the total toll stood at 4904.
HEALTH WORKERS
Of the 13,835 coronavirus cases, 12,499 people got the infection through contact. The contact source for 1019 is not known. The officials said that 259 of those diagnosed with the disease are from outside the state.
They said that Covid 19 affected 58 health workers. Of this, 24 are in Kannur, seven in Kollam, five each in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur, four each in Pathanamthitta and Palakkad, three in Kasaragod and two health workers each in Idukki, Ernakulam and Kozhikode.
The officials noted that 80,019 people diagnosed with the disease so far are still undergoing treatment. There are currently 2,18,542 people under surveillance in various districts of the state. Of these, 2,08,003 are under home / institutional quarantine and 10,539 in hospitals.
Kerala has been seeing a spike of Covid 19 cases ever since the Assembly elections got over on April 6.
MEASURES ADOPTED
Minister Shylaja said that asymptomatic people would be allowed to stay at home isolation. However, those who do not have toilet facilities in the room will be accommodated in domicile care centers with the help of the panchayat. 
The minister said those with minor symptoms would be treated at Taluk and District hospitals. The people with serious symptoms will be treated at Medical colleges. The minister made the remarks after participating in an online discussion convened by the Union Health Minister.
