Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Centre sends team to Kerala to take stock of situation

Central Government is sending 6 member team to Kerala headed by NCDC Director.
As large number of COVID cases are still being reported in Kerala, the team will aid state’s ongoing efforts in #COVID19 management.

— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 29, 2021

The development comes a day after state-level serosurvey data released by the central government revealed that only 44 per cent of Kerala’s population above the age of six years had so far been infected with the coronavirus, against the national average of over 67 per cent. This, in effect, meant that a much larger proportion of the population in the state is still susceptible to the disease compared to many other states. Also, the number could, at least partially, explain why Kerala is continuing to report a high number of cases.

Reacting to the report, former state finance minister Thomas Isaac asked the Narendra Modi government to provide more vaccines to states that have a lower seroprevalence rate. “They are more vulnerable to infection. The present policy of vaccine distribution punishes states that have protected larger proportion of people from infection. Provide more vaccines to Kerala than free advice,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Provide more vaccine to states that have lower seroprevalence rate.They are more vulnerable to infection.The present policy of vaccine distribution punishes states that have protected larger proportion of people from infection. Provide more vaccine to Kerala than free advices.

— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) July 29, 2021

Kerala, with an active case load of 1.54 lakh, is contributing 37.1 per cent of the total active cases in the country, with a growth rate of 1.41 in the last 7 days.

The state has also reported a high case positivity of 12.93 per cent cumulatively and 11.97 per cent weekly. At least six districts are reporting more than 10 per cent weekly positivity, the Centre informed.