100 Days Of COVID: Kerala CM shares how state is battling pandemic

On January 30, when even Italy did not have a confirmed case of COVID-19, India had one. It was in Kerala, where a medical student who had returned from Wuhan in China tested positive for the coronavirus.

Within a week, the state had two more cases. By February 21, it successfully contained the spread of the disease and all three cases were discharged.

As it marked 100 days since China notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about COVID-19, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shared the story of the state on Twitter. The state continues to fight COVID-19 with the number of confirmed cases at 357.

100 Days of #COVID19 | Kerala Story

It's been 100 days since the first case was reported.

258 active cases
97 recovered
Total confirmed: 357
Deaths: 2
12710 samples tested

Special COVID Hospital
1251 Community Kitchens
2808650 Individuals Served
3676 Destitutes Rehabilitated

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) April 10, 2020

Posting the number of active and cured cases, and the deaths due to the disease, the Chief Minister also shared the number of community kitchens in the state, the people it had served and destitute persons rehabilitated.

The state has been earning praise for taking various measures for the wellbeing of its people during the lockdown. From setting up of community kitchens to door delivery of food to home-quarantined people, the state has been showing the way to other states.

Last week alone, the state government launched 12 supermarkets on wheels to deliver essentials, allowed people from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to use medical facilities at Wayanad and set up five helpdesks for non-resident Keralites.

Also, the government announced financial assistance of ₹2,000 for fishers and ₹1,000 for beedi workers and lottery-ticket sellers. The state has also sought the permission of the Centre to issue special relief bonds during the pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)