THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has been witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 infection which is likely to result in more deaths due to lifestyle diseases, said Health Minister KK Shailaja.
Though the state could do well with COVID-19 control in the beginning, things took a worst turn when the guidelines were thrown to winds by a section, she said.
"The state has been trying its level best to avoid a total lockdown. But if the people are not ready to cooperate with the authorities, the state will have to go in for a total lockdown again in the state," she said.
As many as 1,67,939 persons tested positive for the virus so far in the state of which 1,14,530 patients were recovered from the illness. So the recovery rate is still stable in the state.
As many as 656 people died in the state due to COVID-19 which is 0.39 per cent of the total cases. Though most of the COVID-19 positive patients belonged to the age category of 20-40, around 72 per cent of those who died from the virus are above 60 years.
This shows that Kerala will have to face a crisis if there are more cases in the coming days as the high density of people and number of elderly people with lifestyle diseases is a challenge to the state, she said.
The state will discharge a COVID-19 positive person only after 10-15 days when the test results come negative. But as per the suggestion from the Centre, a COVID-19 patient can be discharged in 4 or 5 days if the patient shows no symptoms, the Minister said.