Thiruvananthapuram:
As coronavirus disease cases soar alarmingly, the Kerala government on Wednesday decided to impose strict restrictions in the weekend and clamped night curfew for two weeks to contain the surge. The state recorded the highest single-day tally on Wednesday with 22,414 new cases being reported in the 24 hours, clocking a high test positivity rate of 18.41%.
Talking to reporters, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who attended the office after two weeks, said the second wave was really serious and the government would do everything possible to save lives. He added that the state had enough stock of oxygen, ICU beds and ventilators but vaccine shortage was acute.
“We did exceptionally well during the first wave and contained the mortality rate effectively (it is still below 0.4%), we will overcome the second wave also,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Vijayan chaired a high-level meeting in the state capital to review the Covid-19 situation. “In the weekend, only emergency services will be allowed and private firms have been asked to implement work from home on urgent basis,” he said.
This is the first time the state has crossed 20,000 daily cases mark. With 22 fatalities, the state’s toll also went up to 5,000. Ernakulam district topped the list with 3,980 new cases. Active cases in the state rose to 135,631, the CM said.
{{/usCountry}}This is the first time the state has crossed 20,000 daily cases mark. With 22 fatalities, the state’s toll also went up to 5,000. Ernakulam district topped the list with 3,980 new cases. Active cases in the state rose to 135,631, the CM said.
{{/usCountry}}In view of mounting cases, the state has also updated its quarantine and isolation guidelines. Once tested positive, a doctor’s recommendation is necessary for the patient for hospitalisation and this will ease pressure and lessen crowd in hospitals, as per the guidelines. Even after discharge from the hospital, the patient will have to avoid travel and interaction with others at least for a week, the guidelines said.
While civic bodies have kick-started virus control measures after a brief lull, police have raised fine for offenders. Similarly, tuition classes were not permitted till further notice and local bodies will have to ensure that people won’t crowd vaccination centres, the guidelines stated.
The CM said vaccine shortage was acute in the state and he has written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard. He also criticised the Union government’s new vaccination policy and requested the PM to ensure free supply. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the CM of creating a panic by repeatedly highlighting shortage of doses.
BJP state president K Suredran said the CM’s letter was unnecessary and ill-timed after the Centre assured enough supply to the state in a couple of days. He said panic created by the government has led to fights in some vaccination centres. In Kottayam and Alapzuha, people have clashed with health officials and others over delay.
Surendran said the CM had promised in December last year that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government will distribute vaccine to the people free of cost and the state will also try to set up a vaccine production facility in the state. “It is not proper for the CM to make such false promises. In last two months, vaccine distribution was under control. It is wrong on the part of the state government to blame the Centre for the shoddy supply arrangement,” he said, adding the CM was unnecessarily blaming the Centre.
Minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan has also criticised the state government. “It is not proper for rulers to create panic. Instead of creating panic, the government should have intervened to dispel unnecessary fear. The state will be getting 6.5 lakh doses in a couple of days,” he said, adding that many recipients of the vaccine were not even registered and their influx created a shortage.
The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), however, rejected the minister’s allegations. “It is his habit to criticise the state government for everything. He has again challenged people of the state,” said party secretary A Vijayaraghavan.
Earlier, the CM in the letter highlighted the additional financial burden faced by the state due to the pandemic and noted that it was imperative to provide vaccine free of cost, while questioned the Centre’s move to procure it from the market.