Kerala continues to grapple with heavy Covid case load

Kerala continues to report a high volume of Covid-19 cases and the last week’s tally suggested state’s virus curve is showing no signs of ebbing

Kerala continues to report a high volume of Covid-19 cases and the last week’s tally suggested state’s virus curve is showing no signs of ebbing. On Wednesday, the state reported 15,637 cases, with a test positivity rate (TPR) of 10.03 per cent, statistics released by the state health ministry stated. The state’s active caseload also went up to 117,708, while it reported 128 more deaths.

HT Image

Kerala’s virus graph is shooting up when the country reported just 38,792 cases with a TPR below three per cent in the last 24 hours. The state continues to contribute to around 35 per cent of the country’s total cases. State health minister Veena George said slow progression was expected, and there is no need to panic. However, she asked people not to lower their guard and follow pandemic protocols strictly.

Last one week’s average cases in the state were between 9000 and 10,000, and TPR between 9 to 10 per cent. Experts have warned the government that unless it takes strict mitigation measures at the grassroots level, not just mere lockdown, and doubled the present test rate, the situation will slip out of its hands.

What worries experts is that the Covid-19 wave shows no downward trend and the curve appears to ride a long plateau. “The behaviour of the virus in Kerala is turning out to be a nightmare for experts. Its progression rate is slow. We need an in-depth study, and we have to compare its case pattern with other states,” said public health expert Dr N M Arun.

Arun further said the state needs to be careful as experts are expecting a possible third wave of the Covid pandemic. He also asked the government to ease restrictions slowly.