THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Covid-19 situation in the state turned grim with the revelation that 60 per cent of the infected persons were asymptomatic. Cases due to local transmission also registered a new high on Wednesday as 432 people contracted the virus through primary or secondary contact. While the source of infection remains unknown in 37 patients, new cases crossed the 600-mark for the second consecutive day with 623.
Thiruvananthapuram remains a major concern with 157 new cases, of which 137 resulted from local contact. As many as 61 employees of a supermarket tested positive in the capital city. Wayanad has been put on high alert as the district shares borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The BSF camp in Thrissur and the ITBP camp in Alappuzha are the two other areas of concern. Further restrictions will be enforced in Kannur with cases increasing among services personnel there.While the coastal belt in the capital remains critical, the virus spread further in Aluva municipality and Chellanam and Keezhmad panchayats in Ernakulam.
Experts warn situation could go out of hand
Given that those getting infected have no symptom, or have very mild symptoms, which is a global phenomenon, public health experts warned the situation could go out of hand if the state government does not intervene quickly. Dr Anoopkumar A S, consultant and chief of critical care medicine, Baby Memorial Hospital, Kozhikode said, “The asymptomatic case is a key challenge in controlling the pandemic. The government should step in to prevent infection from such silent carriers, and to avoid super spread.”
As a majority of the people have understood the importance of hand hygiene and facemasks, the focus should shift towards implementing social distancing measures and preventing gatherings in enclosed spaces, he said.“Some evidence has emerged that Covid-19 can spread through air. The government should initiate steps to avoid programmes in indoor environments with poor ventilation, crowding and with prolonged close contact,” Anoopkumar said.
Echoing similar sentiments, E Sreekumar, chief scientific officer, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, said, “If people don’t know they are infected, they rarely take steps to prevent transmission. By the time they get tested, they may have transmitted the virus to a dozen others. Everyone should remain cautious,” he said.
Revealing the percentage of asymptomatic cases in his media briefing, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned that “anyone could transmit the virus” at this critical juncture. With local contact cases spiralling in the state, the CM also announced the launch of the third segment of the break-the-chain campaign — ‘Jeevante Vilayulla Jagratha’ (Vigil worth life).