Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode: The Kerala government has commenced a drive to complete the vaccination of those aged above 45 within a month. It is estimated that there are 1 crore people in this category.
The decision has been taken to expand the vaccination drive as it has been estimated that the daily COVID-19 cases could be 10,000 in the state after a week.
A campaign will also be started to ensure that everyone on the priority list has been vaccinated. More vaccination centres will be set up.
State Health Minister K K Shailaja has said that the health department has been instructed to complete the vaccination of the 45-plus group in a month.
"We have requested the Centre to supply more vaccines. About 95 per cent of the healthcare workers have been administered the vaccine," the minister said after the high-level meet with the health officials on Friday.
Daily cases cross 5,000 again
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.
Meanwhile, 22 deaths were also reported on Friday, taking the death toll to 4,750.
Pinarayi Vijayan, Oommen Chandy doing fine
The Kozhikode Government Medical College authorities announced that the health condition of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is under treatment for COVID-19, is satisfactory. He has not contracted pneumonia.
Various scans were held on the 75-year-old on Friday. A 10-member medical board, comprising department heads, is supervising the treatment.
It is expected that he would be better in 4-5 days if he could maintain the correct health parameters, stated Minister K K Shailaja who arrived at the Kozhikode Medical College where the CM is admitted.
The health condition of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, is also satisfactory, the doctors have said.
