There seems to be no respite from the rising number of daily Covid positive cases in Kerala as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that 43,529 turned positive from 1,46,320 samples tested in the past 24 hours.

The tally was the highest so far, and the test positivity rate stood at 29.75 per cent, while the state has 4,32,789 active cases.

Vijayan said the day also saw 34,600 people turn negative, taking the total number of cured in the state to 15,71,738.

Another high for the day was that there were 95 Covid deaths taking the total death toll to 6,053.

Ernakulam district continues to have the highest number of active cases, at 67,180, while Thrissur with 54,543 cases comes next.

There were 740 hot spots in the state.

On Wednesday, police collected fines amounting to Rs 34.50 lakh after more than 15,000 cases were registered against people who violated Covid norms.

Vijayan also notes out that on Thursday the state will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr and requested all the Muslim brethren to ensure that given the present grave situation, there should be no celebrations and all the prayers should be held at their homes.

He said that with regards to the supply of vaccines, the state has on numerous occasions requested the Centre to supply the vaccine doses for those aged above 45 at the earliest.

“The population in this age group here is around 1.13 crore and hence we require 2.26 crores doses. We wish that the supplies arrive at the earliest as this is one way to keep the death rate to the least minimum,” Vijayan said.

Vijayan also pointed out that heavy rains are predicted in the state in the coming days and asked the Health Department to ensure that all steps are taken to see that generators are kept ready at all hospitals, in case of any power outages.

In reply to a question on when his second government would be sworn in, he said as things stand it can happen on May 20, and the final decision on this would be taken at the meeting of the Left Democratic Front to be held on May 18.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)

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