Not just lockdown, intense testing, contact tracing equally crucial to fight COVID-19: Kerala FM

Ramping up efforts to "stamp out" coronavirus cases in state, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has said that t only lockdown but intense testing of people and tracing of ir contacts are also equally important in fight against outbreak.

Kerala, which was first state in country to report a coronavirus infection in late January, has also prepared a time table for coming out of lockdown and re would be district-specific strategies to tackle situation while number of cases are on decline.

In efforts to curb spreing of coronavirus infections, country is under a 21-day lockdown till April 14 and many states have sought an extension amid rising number of cases. Kerala has proposed extending lockdown and grual phasing out after proper assessment.

"Lockdown should go on till we stamp out entire infections. w, it is t eugh to have lockdown. Equally important is that we should have intense testing, tracing and isolating (of people with coronavirus infections)," he told PTI in a telephonic interview.

government is closely monitoring situation and re would be region-specific or district-specific strategies in place to tackle outbreak, he said.

Against backdrop of lockdown that has also disrupted ecomic activities, Isaac said an exit strategy is being prepared and restrictions are being relaxed in certain segments, including agriculture.

" number of patients is coming down (in state). We hope that in coming days, decline will be much more faster," he said during interview late Friday.

On Saturday, Kerala government said re were a total of 373 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 228 patients were under treatment in various hospitals in state.

Keeping trend in last few days, number of people under observation has come down to 1,23,490. So far, 14,613 samples from people with symptoms were sent for testing and results of 12,818 samples have come negative, government said in a statement on Saturday.

Indicating that re would be a calibrated exit from lockdown, Isaac said withdrawal would depend on three main factors, including count of cases and percent of people who are under observation.

While emphasising that people must also be fed during lockdown period, Isaac also said a time table is being prepared by state to come out of lockdown.

Even as strict measures are being implemented to deal with current situation, state is also preparing for a possible third wave of coronavirus cases.

Three students, who h returned from Chinese city of Wuhan, were tested positive. y were also first such cases, to be reported in January-February period, and have recovered. Wuhan was epicentre of coronavirus infections before it spre to or countries.

Later, re was a second wave of infections in Kerala.

According to minister, possibility of a third wave has also been considered for exit strategy.

"A lot of Malayalees are expected to come back from outside state. We will welcome m... before that, we want to stamp out all Covid cases in Kerala. Flatten curve completely so that when se people from outside, y will be quarantined, y will be tested and only n y will be able to integrate with rest of community," he said.

Kerala government's measures, including extensive testing and efforts to trace people who came in contact with coronavirus-infected persons, have helped in curbing spreing of infections.

state's public healthcare system has also been appreciated in various quarters.

"People are health conscious. re is a demand for quality healthcare services and response to this demand has been strengning of public healthcare system. We have a robust public healthcare system," minister emphasised.

On April 9, Isaac tweeted about low level of coronavirus spreing in state.

"International rm for Covid spre is 2.6 per 1 Covid patient. Total number of primary Covid infected who arrived in Kerala from abro is 254. secondary spre has been limited to 91. international mortality rate is 5.75. With just 2 deaths, rate in Kerala is 0.58," he h tweeted.

Death toll due to coronavirus increased to 273 and number of cases to 8,356 in country on Sunday.