Kerala reported a hike in COVID-19 cases as 26 new cases are confirmed in the state today. AIR correspondent reports that out of the newly confirmed cases seven people had returned from abroad and seven from other states. Presently, 64 active cases are there in Kerala.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the virus is going to be there for some more time, that demands an urgent need to change our life style to compact the disease. Masks and social distancing need to be integral part of our life to contain the spread. Meanwhile as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, a flight carrying around 220 passengers from Jeddah will arrive in Kochi airport soon.

The special train from Delhi is also scheduled to arrive in Kerala tonight. All necessary arrangements are being done in Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram Railway Stations for the medical screening and transfer of passengers to quarantine centres.

Meanwhile,INS Jalashwa to sail again from Male to bring back around 700 residents of Kerala, Lakshadweep as a part of Samudra setu mission, Indian navy ship INS Jalashwa will sail again from Maldives capital of Male today bringing back around 700 residents of Kerala and Lakshadweep. The pre-embarkation activities have begun and people are being ferried from different points of Male to the airport where emigration and medical checkup etc. are to be carried out. The ship will depart in the afternoon and all safety precautions are being adhered to. Local youth volunteers have been enrolled and several agencies of Maldives government are assisting the process to make it a smooth affair. The ship had earlier brought back 698 Indian nationals to Kochi on Sunday. Another ship INS Magar had reached Kochi on Sunday with 202 Indian nationals.

Indian high commission in Male has said that Air India evacuation flights are being planned to cities of New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai for residents of other states except Kerala. The high commission said that priority would be given to those facing deportation by Maldives government, medical emergency, pregnant women, elderly, stranded tourists and people affected by family emergencies like deaths.

Kerala recorded a spike in fresh COVID-19 cases in last two days ,as more returnees from abroad and from other parts of the country , are turning positive. Presently, 27 active COVID cases are there in Kerala among which over six people had returned from abroad and majority of others returning from other hotspots .The State Government had called for high and strict quarantine for all the returnees with detailed protocol for those who were allowed for home quarantine. As the partial train service in the country begins, Kerala Government announced compulsory e-pass for all passengers arriving in the trains in the coming days.

People need to register for e-pass in the COVID-19 Gagratha portal and all passengers will be medical screened and those with symptoms will be shifted to hospitals and others will be transferred to quarantine centres in special vehicle. The people who do not posses the pass will be send for compulsory institutional quarantine