THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala was successful in containing the spread of Covid second wave and was able to keep the case fatality rate at 0.48%. The test positivity rate was brought down to 10.4% from around 30%, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the prime minister’s video conference with chief ministers, the state demanded more Covid vaccine doses from the Centre. Briefing the prime minister on the Covid situation in the state, Pinarayi said the second wave had begun comparatively late in the state. In the second wave that began in April, the spread was mainly due to the Delta virus.
The TPR went up to around 30% but it has now come down to 10.4%. The state was able to contain the virus spread by delaying the peak of the second wave. The attempt was to keep the spread within a limit that could be handled by the state’s health sector. That is the reason Kerala still has more number of Covid patients as compared to other states, Pinarayi clarified.
The chief minister said the state was able to conduct adequate testing and implement quarantine and treatment in an effective manner. That’s why the Covid death rate remains at 0.48% in the state, while it’s high in several other states.
The state has also been running special vaccination drives for tribal population, bed-ridden patients, inmates of mental health centres and transgenders. The state has been able to keep vaccine wastage to a minimum. In view of these factors, the state should be provided with more vaccine doses, Pinarayi urged the Centre.
The state had earlier demanded 60 lakh doses of vaccines for July and August. The chief minister had also written to the prime minister in this regard. The state urged the Centre for all requisite support for effective Covid prevention measures.