Kerala reports 1,129 fresh cases; tally at 24,741

There is a big spurt in locally-transmitted coronavirus cases in Kerala as the state reported 1,129 fresh cases and eight deaths on Saturday, said state health minister K K Shailaja. Among the dead is a police officer, first in the state.

A close look at the state’s tally in last one week shows its aggressive strategy of isolating, contract tracing and treating patients is under deep stress due to increase in caseloads. With 1,129 Covid-19 cases, the total tally went up to 24,741 with 10,862 active cases and 13,779 have recovered . With eight casualties, highest since the outbreak began, death toll went up to 83. But there are allegations that at least 20 deaths failed to find a place in the list but the government maintained that it was going by the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The first coronavirus case in the country was reported in the state on January 30, a China-returned medical student from Thrissur. Coronavirus cases started increasing in March first week but by April the state was on the verge of flattening the curve. But after lockdown norms were eased in May, there was a big surge of expatriates and people stranded in other states which vitiated the coronavirus scene again.

Till June, imported Covid-19 cases formed a lion’s share but in July locally-transmitted cases went up, which is now more than 70%. It took five months to reach 10,000 but in 20 days it crossed 24,000. But there is some relief too as the recovery rate is also going up steadily.

The government is now trying to enhance health system capacity and keep the transmission rate down. “Our effective management and planning helped contain the spread of the virus. If we continue the strategy well we can check a massive surge in cases,” said the health minister.