New COVID-19 cases crossed the 2,000-mark for the second consecutive day in the State on Wednesday. A total of 2,193 new cases were reported in the State on the day when 19,068 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. The test positivity rate (TPR) remained more or less steady at 11.5%.
Ernakulam topped among districts with 589 new cases, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (359), Kottayam (277) and Kottayam (225). The State currently has 11,329 active cases, of which 3,728 cases are in Ernakulam and 2,226 in the capital.
A total of 17 deaths entered the official COVID-19 fatality list on Wednesday. Of these, five deaths are recent COVID deaths, while 12 deaths were included in the list following appeals.
Even when it is pointed out that COVID hospitalisations and ICU admissions are negligible, the deaths attributed to the disease continue to add up to a significant number – about 30-60 deaths – every month.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Veena George convened a review meeting of districts on Wednesday to assess the COVID-19 situation and other infectious diseases. It was pointed out that even when COVID cases are on the rise, hospitalisations are negligible. The Omicron virus variant is in circulation in the State at present.
Health officials said since it was the season of viral fevers, fever cases were aplenty and that people should resort to testing to confirm if they are afflicted by COVID or any other diseases.
Ms. George said COVID-19 would “continue to be around” and that rather than panicking, people needed to follow COVID-19 protocols, especially masking, to protect themselves from new infections.
Any fever which does not resolve within two days should be investigated. People who were yet to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine should complete the vaccination without delay. Health workers have been asked to examine, at the ward-level, the COVID vaccination status of people and to ensure that all children were vaccinated against the disease.
The meeting also asked all districts to be on the alert against all infectious diseases, including norovirus, which has been leading to minor diarrhoeal disease outbreaks in many districts. Vector control units have been asked to strengthen their activities and take up source reduction activities on a large scale.
