Over 200 unidentified COVID-19 patients in Kerala?

Over 200 unidentified COVID-19 patients in Kerala?

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala could have up to 239 COVID-19 patients, who have not been either tested or identified, as per a study.

US researcher Dr Jayakrishnan Unnikrishnan, with expertise in statistical signal processing, and data scientist Dr Sujith Mangalathu, with expertise in machine learning, conducted the study based on the data of the infected people in Kerala and various countries.

The researchers listed the relatively low testing rates in Kerala and the likelihood of several asymptomatic patients as reasons for this. They arrived at this number by making a comparative study of the Case Fatality Rate (CFR - a ratio of deaths to confirmed cases), and the Corrected Case Fatality Rate (CCFR).

These could include people, who have recovered, and those with symptoms.

While lauding the preventive measures in Kerala, the study suggested that precautionary checks have to be strictly carried out as large number of people are set to return from other states and even abroad.

Thermal cameras should be installed at the railway stations and markets. Also, carrying out the medical examination of those with higher temperature would aid in identifying the infected, the study pointed out.

Asymptomatic cases in Ernakulam

Meanwhile, official statistics showed that 32 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in Ernakulam were asymptomatic. This raised concerns among doctors, saying such silent infections can lead to spread of the contagion.

The statistics were released by the Ernakulam District Surveillance Team on Monday, days after Ernakulam was declared "Green Zone" by the central government. According to the team, eight out of 25 people who were treated for COVID-19 in Ernakulam district were asymptomatic. Doctors warned that undiagnosed asymptomatic infection was dangerous as it may cause spread of virus and complicate efforts to bring it under control.

Ernakulam Government Medical College Hospital Resident Medical Officer Dr Ganesh Mohan said the ability of the novel coronavirus to be transmitted by persons with no symptoms was a major factor for its spread. The last patient under treatment for novel coronavirus in Ernakulam was discharged last week, making the district COVID-19 free. Seven British nationals were treated at the hospital here for novel coronavirus but only one among them was symptomatic to COVID-19, officials said. "Asymptomatic carrier state is dangerous because no one doubts about such persons' health conditions. If there is an asymptomatic carrier, the patient himself will not suspect that he is sick and he will go on with his daily activities and he will spread the disease", Dr Mohan said. He said asymptomatic carriers should be a focus for disease prevention.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.