Kerala’s Covid-19 graph rises, experts say next few weeks critical

With 25 new fatalities, the death toll went up to 1,003. Despite the high number of actives cases (93,316) and steep hike in test positivity rate (TPR), the death rate is low in the state being less than one per cent.

Kerala’s Covid-19 graph took another leap on Sunday registering 9,347 new cases while the test positivity rate remained 15.17 per cent against the national average of 8.5 per cent, according to state health ministry data.

The Indian Medical Association Kerala chapter has reiterated its demand for a medical emergency. It said people should be made aware of the gravity of the situation and restrictions should be tightened.(AP PHOTO.)

With 25 new fatalities, the death toll went up to 1,003. Despite the high number of actives cases (93,316) and steep hike in test positivity rate (TPR), the death rate is low in the state being less than one per cent.

Out of 61, 629 samples tested, 9347 people have tested positive. The high TPR is a worrying point to the state, according to the World Health Organization, the TPR should be below 5%. On Saturday, the state had reported the highest cases in the country, 11,755 surpassing Maharashtra 11,416 and Karnataka 10,517 cases while the TPR was 17.74 per cent.

“Hike was on expected lines. By this month-end it is likely to touch 15,000 to 20,000. After Onam festivities, the laxity was quite visible. We are paying the price for it. We will redraw our strategies and increase tests,” Rajiv Sadanandan, health advisor to the government said.

Many experts said the next few weeks will be critical for the state. In the last week of September, Kerala had reported more than 50,000 cases. Experts warned that high TPR coupled with high density of population and large number of elderly population mortality rate can go up. On May 8, after reporting a single case and 16 people in hospitals, the state had announced that it had flattened the coronavirus curve. But the situation aggravated when people started coming from abroad and other states.

The Indian Medical Association Kerala chapter has reiterated its demand for a medical emergency. It said people should be made aware of the gravity of the situation and restrictions should be tightened. “Cases are multiplying fast and most hospitals are full now. The government will have to take drastic measures to contain the spread,” said IMA president Dr Abraham Varghese. He asked the government to increase daily tests to more than one lakh.

Despite mounting Covid-19 cases the government has decided to open up the ailing tourism sector from Monday. Other than beaches, all tour destinations will be opened with restrictions. Tour mandarins have been knocking at the doors of the government for some time saying they will face permanent closure if they were not allowed to operate. The state is eying domestic tourists in a big way.