115 out of 142 fresh Covid-19 cases in Kerala; no checks at airports for now, says Health Min

Thiruvananthapuram: The total active COVID-19 case in the state rose to 1,749 with 115 fresh infections in the last 24 hours even as the Health Department on Tuesday said there was no need to be worried.

According to data on the Union Health Ministry's website, of the 142 COVID cases reported in the country till 8 am on Tuesday, 115 were from Kerala.

According to the Union Health Ministry website, no deaths due to the virus were reported from Kerala in the last 24 hours. The number of people who were cured, discharged or migrated in the last 24 hours in the state after being diagnosed with the infection stood at 112.

Ernakulam has reported the maximum Covid-19 cases until now, followed by Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram.

With that, the total number of cases in Kerala under this category rose to 68,36,979 till date.

JN.1 cases to touch 3000 mark in Kerala soon
The new Covid sub-variant JN.1 will initially show a rising trend to touch the 3000 mark in the state before beginning to subside, experts have warned, as the wearing of masks at hospitals has been made compulsory. The JN.1 omicron variant was confirmed in only one sample and that person was cured.

Health Min quells concerns
Kerala Health Minister Veena George, in a statement, said there was nothing to be worried about as the state was well prepared to handle the virus infection.

She said that there was an increase in COVID cases in November also and following that ministerial level meetings were held to chalk out the measures to be taken. Giving details of the steps taken, the Minister said that instructions were issued for testing of those showing symptoms and to send their samples for genomic sequencing.

Besides that, the number of COVID tests was increased and adequate stock of protective gear and medicines was ensured. Apart from that, from December 13 to 16, an online mock drill was conducted, involving 1,192 government and private hospitals, to ensure availability of isolation wards, oxygen beds, ICUs and ventilators, the statement said.

It also said that another high-level meeting under the minister's leadership was held during the day to assess the COVID situation and the preparedness of the medical systems in the state.

At the meeting, directions were issued to provide special facilities for COVID patients, ensure availability of isolation wards, rooms, oxygen beds, ICU beds and ventilators in hospitals and to treat infected persons who are not serious in the districts itself without referring them to medical colleges.

Additionally, it was also directed that in case of a patient testing positive for COVID, the treatment should be ensured at the treating hospital itself. There are 1,957 oxygen beds, 2,454 ICU beds and 937 ventilator ICU beds available in the state, according to the statement.

The minister also said in the statement that a vast majority of the active cases were those suffering from mild symptoms and except one, all the others who died recently due to the virus infection were over 65 years of age and suffered from co-morbidities like heart ailments, kidney diseases, diabetes and cancer. Recently, at least 12 Covid deaths were reported in the state. Except for one, all the others who succumbed to the disease were elders.

No Covid test at airports
The State Government has rejected the direction, by word, of the Centre to conduct Covid tests at its airports. The Central Health Ministry had asked the state to subject all air passengers to Covid test. However, Health Minister Veena George took a stance that the Centre should give the same in writing. The government is of the view that it is not right to isolate the state alone in the name of the new Covid strain.

Recently, 15 passengers from India tested positive for JN.1 during tests carried out at the Singapore airport. This shows the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant in many parts of the country. The cases were first reported in the state since it is having excellent health check-up facilities. It has been conveyed to the Centre. The same rings true for Covid cases as well.

Karnataka to exercise caution along the borders
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has decided to intensify checkups at the border districts in the wake of the detection of the JN.1 Covid strain in neighbouring Kerala.
(With PTI inputs.)