No let up in Kerala virus spread despite restrictions

TRIVANDRUM: Kerala continues to be the most vulnerable state in India and it shows no decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases and the test positivity rate despite restrictions.

Experts have warned of another wave of infections since the detection of more virulent delta plus variants even as the state is continuing its batle with the second surge.

Kerala, the first to report the infection in India on Jan.30, 2020, now stands second in the number of confirmed cases ater the much larger state of Maharashtra.

Mass gatherings of people, two general elections, and its failure to conduct enough tests and follow strict institutional quarantine rules aggravated the pandemic.

The weekly test positivity rate (TPR) remains over 10 per cent and it showed an upward trend this weekend as against the steadily declining national average of 2.91.

India reported 50,040 new cases in the last 24 hours and 12,118 of them were from the south Indian state.

There were 24 places where the TPR is above 24 per cent and strict lockdown continues in these local government regions.

The state also confirmed 62 more fatalities ater a review by a state-level panel taking the total toll to 12,879 officially which experts say is grossly undercounted.

The health officials said the three villages will remain shut at least for a week ater a genome sequencing study found the presence of the highly infectious Delta plus variant.

Experts say the new variant is highly infectious with strong binding to receptors of lung cells and affects monoclonal antibodies fast.

“In Pathanamthita district, it was found in a four-year-old boy in Kadapra village, and he has tested negative now,” district medical officer Dr AL Sheeja said.

“We have cordoned off the area and residents are undergoing tests. We’ve examined the family’s travel history and it seems mutation might have taken place locally.”

Officials said the confirmation of Delta variants takes time as the swab samples of the suspected patients are being sent to Delhi for testing.

KP Reetha, the district medical officer in Palakkad, said their primary contacts were tested negative and massive testing was going on in the area.

Authorities have asked all villagers in Parali and Pariyari to undergo RT-PCR tests and be vigilant against lockdown violations.

The state-wide lockdown enforced on weekends and relaxations in other areas during weekdays is continuing. The pandemic has thrown hundreds of thousands out of jobs.