THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With many first and second-line treatment centres shut down, the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases is starting to cause concern in the district health department. With the assembly elections and the much-acclaimed Attukal Pongala festival coming up soon, the authorities
are looking for ways to get the situation under control
Though the number of Covid cases saw a drop around the beginning of December, prompting the state to wind up many first-line and second-line Covid treatment centres, the numbers are once again rising. The General Hospital, one of the important second-line treatment centres, wound up recently, opening its services to non-Covid patients.
On Wednesday, 353 Covid cases were reported in the district, taking the total number of active cases to 4,336. As many as 22,113 are under surveillance and home isolation. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, the only first-line treatment centre in the district, has also started accepting non-covid patients.
According to district health authorities, the spike in cases can be attributed to the lack of active police intervention. Social distancing norms are being flouted and people are gathering everywhere in large numbers. An official at the District Medical Office (DMO) said they are not getting any support from the police to enforce social distancing norms in the district.
“Weddings and other social gatherings are happening everywhere. People are flocking in large numbers to public places and beaches. Only strict screening can curb such activities, and bring down the number of cases. Health department officials don’t have the authority to enforce such restrictions. Even if we inform the police about large gatherings, they refuse to act upon it or prioritise,” said the official.
The DMO has directed auditoriums and convention centres to ensure that only a limited number of participants attend functions. “There is no solid mechanism to screen this now. Test positivity rate is increasing and the number of deaths is also going up,” said an official at the DMO. According to them, there is pressure from all quarters to shut down CFLTCs.
The General Hospital which started accepting non-Covid patients recently is planning to provide inpatient treatment for non-Covid patients soon. According to officials, it is going to be a challenge for the hospital with Covid cases increasing simultaneously. The authorities have cut down 50 per cent of the beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients.
“Earlier, we had earmarked 300 beds for Covid patients. Now, that has been reduced to 150. More than 95 per cent of the beds are occupied as of now. If cases go up, patients will be forced to go to private hospitals for Covid-19 care. This might prove to be unaffordable to patients below the poverty line. Also, we cannot turn away APL patients if they want to get treated at General Hospital either,” said a hospital official.
‘No hard rules against gatherings’
DCP Divya V Gopinath told TNIE that there are no rules against holding gatherings or functions now. “Daily enforcement activities are happening and cases are being registered against those not wearing masks. But, there are political protests happening everywhere. Even on Wednesday, there was a protest in front of the Secretariat. An average of 100 cases are getting registered everyday for Covid-19 violations. When it comes to functions and gatherings, everyone wears masks when outdoors, but take them off once they are indoors. There is no way to find such violations. We always act when a complaint is received,” said Divya. She added that sectoral magistrates are also simultaneously taking action against violators.