MALAPPURAM: The number of COVID positive cases in Malappuram has crossed the five-lakh mark, making it the first district in the state to reach that scary figure. As on Friday, Malappuram has had reported 5,05,122 cases, so far. The district continues to contribute a high number of cases daily -- 2,736 on Friday and 2,664 on Thursday -- to the state tally.
However, the district health department claims that it has done a decent job of containing the spread of the virus. District Medical Officer K Sakeena said Malappuram reports a high number of cases because of its high population density.
According to the 2011 census, the district's total population is 41,12,920, the highest in the state. The population of the second-most populated district, Thiruvananthapuram, was 33,01,427. And the latest projection of some government centres in Malappuram, says the district’s population is nearing the 50-lakh mark.
"Though Malappuram has reported five lakh COVID cases, it cannot be compared to other districts, which are far behind in population. Also, the average family size of the district is 5.2 which is also higher than many other districts in the state," Sakeena said.
However, the health authorities are not using the high population theory to vaccinate more people in the district. Many health experts complain that the district has not received COVID vaccine doses from the state government in proportion to its population. Till Friday, the district has vaccinated only 64.26 per cent of people with the first dose and 21.16 per cent with both doses.
The COVID bulletin from the state government shows that other districts have far better vaccination numbers than the highly-populated Malappuram. Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association district secretary Hani Hassan said the vaccine distribution has been disproportionate to its population.
"Had the government considered the population of each district, Malappuram would have received the most number of vaccines. But the government failed to do so. The state government should provide more vaccines to the district. The district health department should give additional vaccines to the local bodies that are lagging behind others. The department should concentrate on vaccinating 70 per cent of the people in every local body instead of concentrating on 100 per cent vaccination. The health workers should be informed of vaccine availability a day before to plan the vaccination drives," Hassan said. DMO Sakeena said that vaccination drive is gathering pace.