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Kerala logs another high with 43,529 new Covid-19 cases, TPR nearly 30%
Doctors at major hospitals admitted that in the second wave many youngsters, that too without co-morbidities, are falling prey to the virus. They have urged the government to speed up vaccination and include more youngsters in the list.
Amid the massive surge of Covid-19 cases, one of the achievements of Kerala in its fight against the pandemic, its low mortality rate, is under threat with the death rate going up steadily.
On Wednesday, the state reported 43,529 new cases with a test positivity rate of 29.75%, the highest since the outbreak began. It also reported 95 deaths taking the total number of fatalities to 6,053 while the active caseload also rose to 4,32,789. Its mortality rate is 0.4 per cent against the national average of 1.5 per cent but experts said it is difficult for the state to maintain its low mortality rate now.
What is disturbing is that many youngsters are falling prey to the virus, statistics released by the state health ministry shows. Among 95 casualties, 20 are below 45 years emphasising the urgent need to vaccinate the 18-45 age group, they said. The youngest among the dead was a 22-year-old youth from Thrissur.
Doctors at major hospitals admitted that in the second wave many youngsters, that too without co-morbidities, are falling prey to the virus. They have urged the government to speed up vaccination and include more youngsters in the list.
“Since a majority of the age group has not been covered in the vaccination drive it is natural that the virus will target youngsters. We have to inoculate them fast. At this rate, it will take many months to cover the population of the state. We have to procure vaccines fast,” said medical expert Dr N M Arun. He said it is time for the state government to buy more vaccines in the international market rather than waiting for the Union government.
“The proportion of the mutated virus has increased all over the country during the second wave. Also superspreader events like major political rallies took place in the state during the polls. This might have exposed younger people,” said Dr Anup R Warrier, infectious diseases expert.
But CM Pinarayi Vijayan said vaccination of the 18-45 age group was delayed due to paucity of doses. “We are trying our best to vaccinate this group also. Due to shortage, priority will be given to people who interact with public like delivery boys, drivers, daily-wage earners and others. We have given an order for one crore doses but got only 5 lakh,” he said.
He said the oxygen situation and availability of ICU beds are under control. He added that five days were not enough (lockdown began on May 8) to understand the benefits of lockdown. Out of 14 districts in about 12 the TPR is above 25 per cent. When asked about the ICMR direction to shut down all districts with more than 10% TPR he said it was for the Centre to decide.
As per the health ministry records the state has reported 6033 Covid-19 deaths so far but experts are of the opinion that the actual rate is much higher. Relatives of many deceased said the names of their kin were not there in the Covid-19 death count.
“Last week one of the crematoriums in Palakkad cremated 125 bodies but only 40 figured in the official list,” lamented a caretaker of a leading crematorium. As the death rate goes up Thiruvananthapuram district collector Navjot Khosa has ordered all crematoriums to function for 24 hours.
