THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even though the capital district reports the highest number of Covid positive cases on a daily basis due to high Test Positivity Rate (TPR) at many panchayats, around 13 per cent of district’s statistics accounts for Tamil Nadu natives. This means 200 out of 1,500 persons who are infected on an average being reported daily are natives of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.
Over 100 people cross the border and come to Thiruvananthapuram from nearby Kanyakumari district for taking Covid test and treatment on a daily basis. Some others submit local temporary address proofs while coming for Covid test, sources in the state health department said.
However, if the patients from Kanyakumari district submit original addresses from Tamil Nadu, these cases will transfer and be accounted to their native states. In the past several decades, people from Kanyakumari, Tuticorin and Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu used to come to the capital for medical needs.
As per the directions of the health department, the persons who come for testing should carry their Aadhaar cards for uploading the details of the persons in the central portal. However, many testing centres, both in government and in private sectors only ask for any identity proof, including driving licence or voter’s identity card. In some testing centres, they don’t even ask for ID proof. If the person tested positive belongs to another state, they will be informed through phone. Later, they will be told to furnish the details to the health department in their respective state to enter the case.
“It is understood that some persons in Tamil Nadu who are living close to the border have dual addresses which are in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Hence many people are submitting their temporary Kerala addresses. But their permanent residences may be in Tamil Nadu. However, these cases will be accounted for in Thiruvananthapuram. An average of 200 out of 1,500 cases being reported are such cases.
Another fact is that, the most number of tests are being held in Thiruvananthapuram. Approximately, one by seventh of testing in the state are conducted here,” said Dr K S Shinu, District Medical Officer, Thiruvananthapuram. On Monday, the state health department came out with data that Thiruvanathapuram, Palakkad and Malappuram districts have TPR still higher than 15 per cent. At the same time, the state average is below 15 per cent. Dr P Gopikumar, state secretary, Indian Medical Association, said there is a strong possibility that the people from TamilNadu are being included as the positive cases in border districts such as Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad. “For instance, a person from Marthandam in Tamil Nadu may be working in Thiruvananthapuram. When he gets tested in Thiruvananthapuram, he may submit his local address. So this case will be added as a positive case here. It may be the same case in Palakkad too,” he said.
T’PURAM RECORDS 1,567 COVID POSITIVE CASES
T’Puram: The district recorded 1,567 Covid positive cases on Tuesday as the test positivity rate stood at 13.9 percent. A total of 1,451 persons have recovered. In all 12,491 persons are currently being treated for Covid in the district. As many as 20 Covid deaths were reported due to Covid from May on the day in the district. As many as 2,318 people have been placed in quarantine for showing symptoms of Covid. In all, 50,778 persons are in quarantine. As many as 4,984 people completed the quarantine period without showing any symptoms. The total number of vaccine doses administrated till date stands at 13,74,888, while 10,80,240 persons have been administered the first dose and 2,94,648 the second dose. On Tuesday, 9,425 doses were administered in the district.
ONLINE REPORTING OF DEATHS BEGINS
T’Puram: The health department started district-level online reporting of Covid deaths from Tuesday. The reporting, scrutiny and confirmation of Covid deaths will be done using the real-time entry online system, the department said a statement. Health Minister Veena George said the state has been following the guidelines of World Health Organisation and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The doctor treating the patient or the medical superintendent of the hospital concerned will prepare the medical bulletin explaining the cause of the death.
The report along with the supporting documents should be uploaded. A scrutiny committee, consisting of district surveillance officer and additional district medical officer, will verify if the death is due to Covid or not as per the guidelines, said the statement.The district medical officer will examine the report and issue a confirmation within 24 hours. A state reporting council will collate the reports from all the districts to issue the daily number of deaths. The system is expected to make faster confirmation of deaths. However, Dr Arun N M, who championed the cause for more transparent reporting of Covid deaths in the state, said the new system merely replaced a state audit committee with a district audit committee and did not address the demand for a transparent system.
“The ICMR clearly defined that the treating physician should be the one who declared the death. The role of the audit committee comes only if there was a dispute. However, here, the committee is acting to further filter out deaths,” said a health expert. There was criticism on the delay in confirmation of Covid-19 deaths and also the lack of transparency in reporting the deaths. TNIE has published reports seeking more transparency in reporting the deaths.