Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala is likely to witness a further spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases by next month, district collectors have been urged to be ready to deal with any eventuality. Accordingly, the first-line treatment centres for the disease in each district would be equipped to ensure a capacity of 5,000 beds.
A Cabinet meet of the Pinarayi Vijayan government took stock of the current stage of the pandemic in the state. Since the first case in the country was registered at Thrissur on January 30, Kerala has reported 9,553 cases until Wednesday.
On Thursday, the death toll from COVID-19 in the state rose to 39 as two fatalities were reported. A day earlier 623 people tested positive for coronavirus and 196 patients were cured of the deadly disease in Kerala. This is the second successive day when the state saw 600-plus new cases in a day and hence the state government is redoubling it efforts expecting a crisis.
CM's COVID advisor
The government has appointed former additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan as advisor to the CM on COVID-19 preventive measures. He has been appointed for three months without pay.
The Cabinet meet also decided to appoint Land Board secretary Dr A Kowsigan as the Commissioner for Disaster Management.
He also has the additional charge as the secretary of the Land Board and as the state project manager of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project.
On curbing protests
At the meet it was also decided that the Collectors could take suitable action against protests, held in violation of the COVID-19 guidelines, as the High Court has banned such agitations.
On Wednesday, the Kerala High Court issued an interim order banning protests and strikes in the state in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the state government's ordinance allowing up to 10 people to join in a protest went against central guidelines.
Training for all govt officials in Kerala
All government officials in Kerala will be given training as the state battles the COVID-19 spread.
The list of officials is being prepared by the health department and panchayat.
Pregnant women, mothers of children aged below five and those suffering from critical illnesses have been exempted from the training. The government took the precautionary step to ensure there would not be any glitch in the preventive measures if the state reaches the stage of community transmission of the disease.
These officials would be deployed for duties other than treatment and care. Their services would be used for tasks such as collecting the details of the patients, data entry, and the functioning of the COVID preliminary treatment centres.
Only health, revenue and local body officials were roped in for such tasks until now. However, if there is a further surge in the cases, then the health department will have to fully concentrate on medical care. Preliminary treatment centres would have to be started even at the panchayat level.
Considering these factors, it was decided to give training for all officials.
