Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala reported 292 fresh COVID-19 infections and three deaths due to the disease in the last 24 hours, according to data on the Union Health Ministry website on Wednesday (December 20). Of the 341 COVID infections reported nationwide till 8 am today, 292 were from Kerala taking the active cases in the state to 2,041, as per the Ministry website. With the three deaths reported in the state, the total number of people who died due to COVID in Kerala since its outbreak three years ago reached 72,056.
The number of people who were cured, discharged or migrated in the last 24 hours after being diagnosed with the infection stood at 224.
With that, the total number of cases under this category rose to 68,37,203 till date.
On Tuesday, state Health Minister Veena George had said that despite the increase in COVID cases in Kerala, there was nothing to be concerned about as the state was well prepared to handle the virus infection.
The minister had also said that directions have been issued to provide special facilities for COVID patients and ensure availability of isolation wards, rooms, oxygen beds, ICU beds and ventilators in hospitals.
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NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
