Coronavirus cases shoot up in Kerala, over 40,000 cases registered in a week

Kerala : The viral caseload on Kerala shot up after more than 40,000 new coronavirus cases were registered in less than a week, forcing the authorities to look again at the containment zone rules. State health minister KK Shailaja on Sunday admitted that it is a testing time for Kerala and cases may go up sharply by next month.

In the last week, the positive case growth in Kerala has shot up to 11.9% which is over than the national average of 8%.

"Our strategy was right from day one and we contained deaths considerably. Our death rate is still below one per cent. But of late cases are surging and it was expected. It is the second wave of the virus," she said.

She advised people to not go easy and must remain alert by following the coronavirus guidelines as it is the time when the state will have to come together to beat the coronavirus. She said relaxations during the Onam festivities and the ongoing protest by the opposition parties were the main reasons for the present surge.

Kerala has a high density of people (860 people per square kilometre) and a high population of elderly people (more than 15 per cent of the population is above 60). The health department has asked asymptomatic patients to remain in isolation in their homes and not to crowd hospitals. In Covid-19 active cases (56,709) the state is in the fifth position now in the country.

The situation becomes worrying for Kerala for the fact that the surge in the coronavirus cases has been registered at a time when the numbers of new cases are declining in the other parts of the nation.

On Sunday, the state reported 7,445 new cases taking the total to 1,75,384. Patients who have recovered stand at 1,17,921 and active cases are 56,709. With 21 new casualties, the death toll has gone up to 678. The state has also increased tests with 54,493 tests being carried out on Sunday. The total number of tests has gone up to 27,71,533.