Rahul Gandhi jubilant at Centre recognising Wayanad's Covid results; salutes officials

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed happiness after the Health Ministry recognised the efforts of Wayanad district authorities for its excellent results in tackling COVID-19. The official Twitter account of Rahul Gandhi's Office said that not a single case has been reported in the past 16 days from the district in Kerala. Gandhi saluted the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and District administration for the achievement.

'I salute the DC, SP, DMO  & district administration'

Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in various states, there was much to cheer for Kerala on Wednesday with only one person testing positive, the lowest in recent weeks, and seven people recovering, taking the total number of those cured to 218, the highest in the country.

'The recovery rate is the highest in Kerala'

Though the tally of active patients fell to 167 in the southern state which recorded 387 positive cases since the country's first COVID-19 case on January 30, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cautioned it was not yet time to lower the guard. The state should maintain its stringent vigil and follow the lockdown restrictions without fail, he told reporters.

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"In our country, the recovery rate is the highest in Kerala and 218 patients have been completely cured of the disease. There is good progress in testing and we are doing increased numbers now. "But we cannot afford to give more exemptions and relaxations in the lockdown conditions," Vijayan said.

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The death toll due to Coronavirus rose to 392 with 39 fatalities reported since Tuesday evening, while the number of cases saw a jump of 1,118 to go up to 11,933 on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry. As many as 1,343 people were cured and discharged, and one has migrated, it said. A single day highest increase of 1,463 cases was recorded on Tuesday.

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(With PTI inputs)