Kerala reports 292 fresh Covid infections, total cases cross 2k

Active Covid-19 cases in Kerala crossed the 2000-mark on Wednesday as the state reported 292 fresh infections, according to the data of the union ministry of health and family welfare.

The state now accounts for 88 percent of the total active Covid-19 cases in the country.

Two people died of Covid in the state in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative toll to 72,056, according to data .The state health department has not released details regarding the fresh infections or the deceased. The state Covid dashboard has not been updated since September 9, 2022.

Health minister Veena George convened on Tuesday a meeting of the top health officials which underscored the need to remain alert instead of spreading fear and panic. At the meeting, it was decided to make masks mandatory at all hospitals in the state. Special emphasis was to be given in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts which are reporting the bulk of the fresh cases.

The health minister on Monday had denied reports of a big spike in Covid infections in the state. She said the health department has been examining a small increase in cases since November and had ordered the whole genomic sequencing of the infections which led to the discovery of the JN.1 sub-variant of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

She also said 15 travellers from different parts of India had tested positive for the JN.1 sub-variant of Covid during routine surveillance at the Singapore airport, indicating that the variant was present in other states of the country.