KOCHI: Since its first Covid case in March last year, Ernakulam district has been waging a continuous war against the virus. The going has been tough and health workers, the administration as well as the general populace have united to hold their ground against the pandemic.
However, at no point was the medical system overwhelmed or anyone was left struggling without medical care or oxygen.
As the total confirmed Covid cases in the district crossed 5 lakh on Sunday, taming the virus through vaccination and strengthening preventive measures remain top priorities.
The district is among the top three in the state in terms of Covid spread, and accounts for the largest proportion of active cases.
Covid outbreak had caused a big scare initially with everything — from aggressive contact tracing and ensuring strict quarantine, to panicked shifting of patients to treatment facilities — being done.
“It was a new virus and the treatment approach differed too. Since it was an ‘imported’ disease initially, everyone who arrived from abroad was viewed with suspicion and closely monitored. We slowly understood the pattern of the spread and remedial steps were developed and instituted."
"In Kerala, with the help of ASHA workers and panchayat members, the Covid situation was monitored and kept in check from the start. When health workers got infected, hospitals became major hotspots — a situation that jolted the entire system,” recalled an official with the District Surveillance Team.
Had the methodologies instituted for contact tracing and monitoring of patients been more efficient, Covid spread here could have been controlled better, said experts.
“The three-level monitoring mechanism, which included daily telephonic monitoring, self-monitoring and reporting of symptoms, was strictly followed. Later, it lost importance, with relaxations being introduced. Had the system been followed without break, the spread could have been controlled better,” said Dr Monu Varghese, a pulmonologist based in Kochi.
The number of large Covid clusters grew, from three in July to seven in September 2020.
“When local transmission started being reported, things went out of hand. However, when awareness about the virus improved, people began following Covid protocol. The commencement of vaccination drive eased things up a little. But the battle is still on,” said the surveillance officer.
District Medical Officer Dr N K Kuttappan said the priority now is to vaccinate as many people as possible and ensure adherence to Covid protocol. About 80% of the district’s population has received at least one dose.
“With the vaccination drive going in full swing, the severity of the illness and requirement of ventilator support have come down. The district is prepared to deal with any Covid surge now,” said Dr Kuttappan.
Covid Tracker
District reports 2,915 new Covid cases, 2,422 recoveries
KOCHI: Ernakulam on Sunday reported 2,915 new Covid cases, including four healthcare workers. According to health officials, the source of infection of 22 persons could not be traced.
The test positivity rate (TPR) stood at 13.92%.
The most number of cases were reported from Puthenvellikara (99) and Thrikkakara (79).
As many as 2,422 Covid patients recovered on the day while 34,208 persons continue to be under treatment in the district. A total of 27,507 patients are being treated at home.
