THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Covid-19 spread continues to worsen in Thiruvananthapuram as it is way ahead of other districts in new cases being reported and deaths. According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, of the total active cases reported till Monday in the state, 18 per cent were from Thiruvananthapuram. The district also reported 32 per cent of the Covid deaths in the state.
Worryingly, the health department data shows that the cases per million population and test positivity rate in Thiruvananthapuram have increased in the third week of this month. Meanwhile, Ernakulam is also emerging as a Covid-19 hotspot as projections show that it could expect 10 to 20 per cent increase in the daily case tally. The CM said, “A serious situation is at hand in Thiruvananthapuram. Of the 39,258 people who had been infected till Monday, 7,047 were from the district.
That means 18 per cent. Of the 553 deaths, 175 were from the district. That means 32 per cent.” According to the CM, the protests that were being organised without following the Covid-protocol in the district should be read along with the worsening situation.At the same time, the data released by the health department shows cases per million and test positivity rate in Thiruvananthapuram are increasing.
“The test positivity rate, which was 13.7 per cent in the second week of September (5 to 11) in the district, increased to 14.1 per cent in the third week (12 to 18). The cases per million also increased from 1,036 to 1,378 in the same period,” said a health department officer.
Regarding the case scenario prevailing in various districts, the CM said, “In Ernakulam, it seems Onam celebrations might have triggered local transmission cases. Also, a majority of the infected were asymptomatic. In Kollam, a direction has been given to the police to monitor the guest workers. It seems funerals resulted in formation of clusters in Pathanamthitta.”