Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala health department expects that the COVID-19 cases in the state would start to decline within three weeks.
The pace of disease transmission could have increased in the last few weeks due to the election campaign and the arrival of travellers from other states.
The government has instructed those who return from other states to remain in quarantine and monitor themselves if they are staying in Kerala for more than a week and follow it up with a test on the eighth day. But travellers from other states or abroad, who have been vaccinated (completed the prescribed 14-day period after receiving both shots of the vaccine), need not stay in quarantine.
After a high-level meet, Health Minister K K Shailaja pointed out the failure in adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines during the elections as the likely reason for the second wave. "Though several people wore masks, social distancing could not be maintained. The Back-to-Basics campaign would be intensified. Everyone should be careful to reduce crowding at events. Preventive measures would be strengthened again,” she added.
The COVID-19 patients, who do not have any health issues, can be under treatment at home if they have the facilities for it. The minister said that permission will be given for that only if there are facilities.
The meeting also decided to strengthen the treatment facilities at hospitals across the state and decided to equip the hospitals with more ICU and ventilator facilities.
Shailaja also pointed out that Kerala is vulnerable because 89 per cent of the 3.30 crore population has not turned Covid positive and hence, more caution has to be exercised, especially when the daily cases in the country are going up.
While the number of COVID-19 cases increased gradually in the first phase last year, it is increasing rapidly in the second phase, the Minister added.
A total of 5,063 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on Friday after 63,240 samples were tested. The positivity rate is at 8.01 per cent. This is for the first time after February 13 that the daily cases have crossed 5,000.
The source of infection could not be identified in 413 cases. While 162 people had come from outside Kerala, 25 were healthcare workers. Also, 2,475 recoveries were reported. A total of 36,185 people is undergoing treatment.
Twenty-two deaths were also reported on Friday, taking the death toll to 4,750.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has commenced a drive to complete the vaccination of those aged above 45 within a month.
