Kochi | Jagran News Desk: The death toll due to the novel coronavirus surged to 20 after a 69-year-old COVID-19 patient died at the Kochi Medical College on Saturday, said Kerala officials.
"A 69-year-old man died due to coronavirus at the Kochi Medical College today. This is the first death in Kerala due to the coronavirus," Ernakulam District Medical Officer Dr. NK Kuttappan said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
With this, India's death toll due to the novel coronavirus have surged to 20 with over 800 confirmed cases.
In Kerala, the deadly COVID-19 virus has affected 164 people after the state reported 39 fresh cases of coronavirus on Friday.
Of the 39 cases, 34 are from the worst affected northernmost district of Kasaragod, two from Kannur and one each from Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kollam, Vijayan told reporters after a COVID-19 review meeting.
With a positive case being reported from Kollam, all 14 districts in the state have been affected by the pandemic.
Amid the worsening situation in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has described the conditions in the state 'serious'.
The Chief Minister informed that around 1,10,299 people are under surveillence and 616 are in isolation wards of various hospitals while adding that a man from Idukki district who tested positive is a public figure and had travelled across Kerala over the last few days and had gone to the state assembly, secretariat and met legislators, government officials and also to government offices and schools.
"Discussions have begun to use medicines from Cuba, which is believed to be a good one to combat this outbreak and necessary guidelines have been given to the Drugs Controller to check on this," he said, as quoted by news agency IANS.
"With Kasargode registering more and more cases, certain stricter controls have to be brought in. All those who have returned from affected states and countries in the recent past have to get in touch with officials. And anyone with symptoms of cough, breathlessness and throat pain should get in touch with the health officials," he added.
(With agency inputs)