THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An increase in the spread of infection has led the state government to increase the number of locations under stringent control ahead of Onam.
All panchayats or urban wards with a Weekly Infection Population Ratio (WIPR) of eight will be put under control, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after a review meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting also decided to increase the number of micro containment zones by 50 per cent in districts with a WIPR of 14. WIPR is calculated based on the density of infection (number of positives per 1,000 people) in a region in a week.
The state recorded a test positivity rate (TPR) of 15.91 per cent, the biggest jump in 70 days, raising concerns of further spread of Covid during the festive period.
The state reported 21,119 new positives from 1,32,769 samples tested and recorded 152 Covid deaths on Tuesday.
The state has caught the attention of the country for the wrong reasons as the pandemic resists the signs of tapering in contrast with the situation in other states.
Already Kerala has the dubious record for largest number of daily positives, deaths, seven-day average TPR and active patients in the country.
Kerala has also replaced Maharashtra as the state with the fastest spreading of infection (represented as reproduction numbers or ‘R naught’, a term that estimates how fast the infection is spreading).
The increase in exposure among the large population of susceptible people has contributed to the increase in spread of infection, according to experts.
They also warned of the Onam rush without following the Covid appropriate behaviour.
“We need to be cautious during the Onam season. We are not in a situation to consider that life has become normal. People should be responsible about social distancing and wearing mask to make a difference. We cannot bring about the desired results only through punitive measures,” said Dr K P Aravindan, a leading pathologist and member of the expert panel on Covid management.
“Increase in mingling is a factor that leads to high TPR. But TPR also could be pushed up if more tests are conducted at a cluster on a particular day. We need to see the seven-day sliding average for at least three days to check if there is a new trend,” he added.
State secretary of Indian Medical Association, Dr Gopikumar P said the infectivity rate has increased and the incubation period for a person to start spreading the infection has lowered.
ONAM CURBS, IMMUNITY PASSPORT SYSTEM MODIFIED
The review meeting announced a series of restrictions to prevent further spread of Covid during Onam.
“No programme that attracts a crowd during Onam will be permitted,” said the statement.
The meeting also modified a controversial condition restricting shopping only to immunity passport holders - those with at least one dose of vaccine, recent recovery from illness or a recent RT-PCR positive result.
The chief minister directed shops to give preference to those without an immunity passport who are considered more susceptible to infection.
He said those without an immunity passport could go shopping if there are no other immunity passport holders at home.