Thiruvananthapuram: As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across Kerala there is acute stress on healthcare centres to meet the drastic surge in demand for diagnostic tests, hospital admissions and even vaccines. Adding to the burden, several healthcare professionals, too, have contracted the coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
In response, the State has fortified its defence after lowering its guard for a while soon after it was felt the pandemic was almost contained. Now more restrictions, including night curfew, besides ramping up tests have been announced.
With Kerala reporting 13,644 new COVID-19 positives on Monday, the active cases have crossed one lakh to touch 1,03,004.
Here is a quick look at the status and preparedness of all the 14 districts:
Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 981 people, including five healthcare workers, tested positive for the virus.
Kollam: The active cases near one lakh. The intensive care unit of the government-run Medical College Hospital is full. Authorities are preparing an additional 1,500 beds in primary health centres. Heated exchange of words could be heard at vaccination centres at several places as crowds thronged.
Alappuzha: A slight decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases even as the district administration announced more containment zones.
Pathanamthitta: The district is among those with a lesser test positivity rate (8.21 per cent). However, 12 places out of the four municipalities and 52 panchayats have high positivity rates.
Kottayam: Major hospitals are almost full with COVID-19 patients. Authorities have converted even a college hostel to a treatment centre. Vaccinations centres, too, are crowded. However, the number of positive cases is showing a decline. With the virus infecting the doctors and nurses of the Medical College Hospital, only emergency surgeries are being conducted. All other surgeries have been postponed. Visitors’ entry to the hospital, too, has been restricted.
Idukki: The hilly district has reported an increase in COVID-19 cases, and the authorities have doubled the tests. Plantation workers from Tamil Nadu reaching the district have contributed to the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Ernakulam: The virus is spreading fast and wide. A two-day special campaign to test more people will be launched on Tuesday. Authorities have also set aside 20 per cent of beds in private hospitals for COVID-19 patients.
Thrissur: The district scaled-down the vaccination to 500 people a day to avoid crowding at vaccination centres. Those from containment zones and symptomatic people are prohibited from entering. High rate of virus spread is observed.
Palakkad: Local bodies have initiated steps to ready treatment centres to accommodate those lacking home isolation facilities. Entry to the district through the State borders are under strict surveillance.
Malappuram: Record spurt in the COVID-19 positive cases even as the district faces an acute shortage of anti-infection vaccines. Authorities have reopened COVID first-line treatment centres, and are ramping up RT-PCR tests. The district also reported a shortage of Remdesivir, the drug used to treat COVID-19 patients.
Kozhikode: The district witnessed an eight per cent increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in just a week. The district collector has ordered the secretaries of all local bodies to strictly ensure restrictions to check the spread of the virus. Wards with critical containment zones will be closed and isolated, and only food distribution centres and hospitals will be allowed to function in such areas.
Wayanad: Authorities have intensified checking at the State’s borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Border facilitation centres will be opened at Muthanga, Baveli and Kutta check posts. These check posts will also have RT-PCR kiosks.
Kannur: COVID-19 positive cases crossed 1,000 for the third consecutive day on Monday. Prohibitory orders have been promulgated for a week in the 87 wards under six local bodies including the city corporation.
Kasaragod: Moves are afoot to set up 25-bed COVID first-line treatment centres in the district’s 41 local bodies in two days. Of the 376 COVID-exclusive beds in the four government hospitals, 200 beds are occupied.
