E-Paper
7 of 14 Kerala districts in Covid-19 ‘red’ zone, Centre’s classification surprises state
Many discrepancies have crept into the classification of Covid-19 zones and have worried Kerala government. The government has now decided to approach the Union Health Ministry to correct them.
Kerala government doesn’t seem to be happy with the classification of Covid-19 zones in the state. Two districts in Kerala which were reported Covid-free in more than a week are marked in the ‘red’ zone and another which has at least nine active cases are marked in ‘green’.
Among 14 districts of the state, seven are classified in the ‘red’ zone category, six are in ‘orange’ and one in ‘green’ zone.
The classification of Covid-19 zones in the state has worried Kerala government which has now decided to approach the Union Health Ministry for the rectification.
Kerala, which was one of the top coronavirus hotspots in the country just last month, has been reporting fewer cases and a high rate of patient recovery in the last few weeks. The number of Covid-19 fatalities in the state stands at 3. The state was the first to report the country’s first coronavirus cases in the month of January - all three patients had successfully recovered.
On Wednesday the state had reported a single case. Among 387 positive cases, 220 had discharged leaving only 167 in hospitals.
Interestingly, Wayanad in north Kerala which has only a single case and Thiruvananthapuram and Pathnamthitta which did not report new cases in the last few days are all in the ‘red’ list. Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, Ernakulam are the other districts that fall in the ‘red’ zone as classified by the health ministry
Coronavirus-free Idukki and Kottayam districts are in the ‘orange’ zone. Other districts in the zone include Thrissur, Palakkad, Alappuzha and Kollam. Kozhikode, on the other hand, that has nine active cases is the only district in the state in the ‘green’ zone.
According to Union Health Ministry’s directive ‘red’ zone comprises the districts which report the maximum number of cases with high possibilities of community transmission. It has identified 170 districts across the country in the ‘red’ zone.
Non-hotpots, but those regions that have enough chances of the virus spreading, are classified in the ‘orange’ category - six districts in Kerala are in ‘orange’ category. ‘Green’ zones the safe areas with respect to the virus spread.
“It seems the classification has been done without realizing the ground situation. Some of the districts which have done a stupendous job by containing the virus are again in the hotspot list. We are upset with this. The state government will take it up with the Union Government,” said a senior official of the state health ministry.
