The Government of Kerala, on Monday, appointed Dr Thomas Mathew as the Joint Director of the Department of Medical Education. The decision was announced by K K Shailaja teacher, the Minister of Health and Social Justice. 

Dr Mathew was appointed right after the retirement of the former Director of the Health Education Department and Special Officer. The appointment was made immediately as part of the intensification of the state's COVID prevention efforts. Mathew will temporarily hold the position of the special officer too, until the vacancy gets filled. 

A professor of community medicine, Mathew is currently the principal of the Government Medical College, Ernakulam. He was the lead in the treatment and prevention of COVID at the Medical College. At present, there are no COVID patients in the Medical College. He was formerly the Principal of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

According to the latest government data, Kerala reported no COVID-19 positive cases on Sunday and Monday. 61 patients were recovered on Monday.