Even as Kerala continues to report the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday that the situation is under control and that there is no big jump in infections after the Onam festival as was feared.
The state recorded 29,682 Covid cases on Saturday with a test positivity rate (TPR) of 17.54% after 169,237 samples were tested. It also reported 142 deaths, pushing the toll to 21,422, according to the health ministry data.
Talking to newsmen in the state capital, Vijayan said though the number of patients increased, hospital admissions came down in the last three weeks and that situation will stabilise soon. In mid-August hospitalisation rate was 5.99% of active cases, but it came down to 5.23% between August 28 and September 3, he said.
“There is no big hike (in Covid cases), as we feared, after Onam. Hospitalisation rate is coming down slowly. Even in the recent experts’ meeting, all lauded the state’s containment strategy,” he said. The state government had called a meeting of experts on September 1.
The CM said the night curfew and Sunday lockdown will continue till the situation gets stabilised. Many experts have criticised the night curfew, saying movement was minimum during night hours.
Vijayan said the state has vaccinated 75% of the eligible population and out of this 27.4% got both the doses. The CM also flagged off a new campaign, ‘Be the Warrior’, exhorting youngsters and volunteers to participate in a big way in the fight against the pandemic.
The opposition Congress and BJP, however, said the government’s containment measures remained only in slogans and public relations exercises. “Now the government is taking refuge in the experts’ meeting to paint a rosy picture. Instead of admitting that its containment strategy was an utter failure, it is searching for alibis,” said BJP leader S Suresh.
Active Covid cases in the state now stand at 250,065. According the state health ministry bulletin, Thrissur district reported the maximum Covid cases, 3,474, followed by Ernakulam with 3,456 and Malappuram with 3,156. North Kerala’s Wayanad and Kasaragod districts reported less than 1,000 cases. In the last 24 hours, the country reported 42,618 cases and 330 deaths. The national TPR is below 3% and active caseload stands at 405,681, according to the Union health ministry data.
