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No end to Kerala’s Covid-19 woes, state reports over 16k new cases
Kerala on Saturday logged 16,148 new Covid-19 cases, the highest in a month, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala on Saturday logged 16,148 new Covid-19 cases, the highest in a month, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “The high volume of cases is a big concern and it emphasised the need for more vigil and surveillance,” Vijayan said during a press meeting.
In the last 24 hours, the country reported 38,079 cases of Covid-19 and the state’s contribution was around 40 per cent of the total national caseload. The state’s test positivity remained 10.76 per cent while the national average is below 3 per cent. The state’s weekly average was above 14,000 cases with 10 per cent TPR.
Since June 15, Kerala, the country’s first state to report a virus case in January 2020, topped in new cases and active caseload. Two districts, Malappuram and Kozhikode, reported more than 2,000 cases on Saturday but the CM reiterated that there is no need for panic.
“High caseload is due to increased tests. We have set a high testing target and moving towards this. Even at the peak of the second wave, the state did not use 70 per cent of its hospital infrastructure. No oxygen shortage is reported here,” he said, adding that it was due to proper planning and execution of pandemic prevention activities.
The CM said unlike other states, the second wave started in the state very late, by April end-May first week, and the situation will subside by the month-end. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the high volume of cases in Kerala and Maharashtra during the CMs’ conference on Friday.
“It is true the state is reporting a lion’s share these days. We hope the situation stabilises by the month-end. It is a fact that the state is taking enough time to flatten the curve and it has to be studied scientifically,” said public health expert Dr N M Arun, adding there is no pressure on hospitals despite a high number of cases. “Though super spreaders are not around, a large number of the community and households are succumbing to the virus due to lax micro-management strategy,” he said.
Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, also said the state is yet to approach a scientific approach to contain the pandemic. “It seems the government finds refuge in its old records. Instead of reaping political benefits out of pandemic control measures, it has to go by the guidelines of the Union government and the Indian Council of Medical Research,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government announced a new set of norms to ease restrictions during Bakrid. At least 40 persons will be allowed in places of worship and there will be special relaxation from June 18-20. Shops and business establishments can be opened till 8 pm. It has also permitted to shoot movies as many Malayalam movie units threatened to shift their base to other states if Kerela remained in lockdown.
