E-Paper
Kerala starts mass vaccination drive as Covid-19 cases surge
For more than two months the state has been reporting the maximum number of cases in the country. With its containment measures failing to evoke desired results the government feels that maximum inoculation is the only way to reduce the caseload.
With coronavirus cases climbing steadily, the Kerala government on Saturday started a mass vaccination programme even as Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is arriving in the state on Monday to review the pandemic situation.
For more than two months the state has been reporting the maximum number of cases in the country. With its containment measures failing to evoke desired results the government feels that maximum inoculation is the only way to reduce the caseload. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday decided to conduct a special vaccination drive and has approached the Centre for uninterrupted supply of Covid-19 vaccines.
The district collectors have been asked to supervise the special drive and at least five lakh vaccines will be administered a day. The state has a stock of 15 lakh doses now and it expects another 10 lakh in a couple of days, a senior health ministry official said. Recipients can avail them through spot registration or online booking.
The government has also made permission mandatory for all public activities during the ongoing Onam season_ Thiru Onam falls on next Sunday (August 21). Many experts have warned the state that there can be a surge after Onam so the government has tightened restrictions. In the prevailing situation, the festival will be subdued as the government has banned mass gathering and feasts.
The Union health minister will reach the state capital on Monday and has scheduled a meeting with the CM and health minister Veena George later in the day. He will be accompanied by Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, National Centre for Disease Control Director Sujit Singh and other experts.
Kerala reported 19,451 positive cases with a test positivity rate of 13.91 per cent after 1,39,223 samples were tested on Saturday, according to the state health ministry. It also reported 105 deaths taking total fatalities to 18,499. Malappuram remained on top with 2953 cases followed by Thrissur district at 2459. Four districts reported more than 2000 new Covid-19 cases. Active cases also rose to 1,80,240. In the last 24 hours, the country reported 38,677 new cases and 478 deaths. The current caseload is 3,83,673. In daily cases, deaths and active cases Kerala contributes the lion’s share, statistics show.
