Covid-19 deaths near 50,000-mark in Kerala

Covid-19 deaths in Kerala are nearing the 50,000-mark with around 19,000 deaths being added to the state's tally over the last three months.

The state that once boasted of low Covid-19 death toll is now only second to Maharashtra, which has recorded 1.41 lakh deaths, in the country. As of Saturday, the total number of deaths in the state was 49,547. Further increase in the death tally is expected as over 10,000 appeals for considering non-Covid deaths as Covid fatalities are still pending.

The death rate of Kerala has also increased to 0.93 per cent, while the national average is 1.37 percent. However, around 25 states have a higher death rate than Kerala.

Clearing the backlog of the Covid-19 deaths and the changes in the norms for considering Covid-19 deaths are the reasons for the steep hike in the fatalities in Kerala. Of the 35,164 appeals received for considering non-Covid deaths as Covid deaths, only 25,022 were processed so far. Hence the number could go up further.

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Kerala health minister Veena George had stated that around 7,000 Covid deaths went unreported in the state, thus substantiating the claims of health experts and opposition parties that there were flaws in Kerala's death-reporting system.

Sources in the Kerala health department said that compared to other states, Kerala was maintaining a much transparent online system for considering the appeals. Hence the state's Covid death figures were going up.

Meanwhile, the test positivity rate of the state went up on Saturday too. A total of 5,944 fresh Covid-19 cases were reported during the day with a test positivity rate of 9.8 per cent. The total active cases also reached 31,098.

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