THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Eleven persons tested positive for Covid 19 in Kerala on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan read out this details at the press conference held after Covid review meeting on Wednesday.

The district-wise Covid positive cases today is as follows

Kannur - 7, Kozhikode - 2, Malappuram - 1, Kottayam -1. Only one person tested negative for the disease today.

Among the confirmed cases, five had reached here from abroad. In Kozhikode, one health worker was affected by the disease. Among the 11 positive cases today, three contracted the disease through contact.

Till date, 437 Covid positive cases have been reported. Among them, 127 are under treatment.

Currently, 29,804 people are under observation in their houses and 346 are under observation in hospitals. Today itself, 95 persons were admitted in hospital. Till now, 20,821 samples were sent for testing and out of them, 19,998 tested negative.

Restrictions in Kannur

The chief minister said more restrictions have been placed in Kannur which has the highest number of patients. Police have intensified checking following which there was fall in the number of vehicles coming on to roads.

He also requested people in Kannur to stay indoor as far as possible. The chief minister hailed government employees, their organisations and others who have donated generously to chief minister’s relief fund and welcomed more donations.

Salary challenge

The cabinet that met today decided to put by a portion of their salary as a temporary arrangement. The salaries of six days will be put aside in a month. In that manner, the government is forced to repeat this for five months, which means a month’s salary will accure at the end of five months.

This will be applicable to public sector-units, quasi-government institutions and institutions functioning under government grants.

Employees salaried below Rs 20,000 have been exempted from this salary challenge. Salaried and honorariums of ministers, MLAs, Board members and representatives of local self-governing body institutions will be cut by 30% and this will continue for one year.