JOIN USKerala to study increasing breakthrough Covid-19 cases
While the Covid surge in Kerala continued on Tuesday also with a higher TPR of 18.04 per cent being reported, a higher rate of breakthrough infection in some districts including Kasargod and shortage of syringes were affecting the state’s fight against the pandemic.
The breakthrough infection rate was found to be higher than five per cent in Kasargod Palakkad and Idukki districts.
A Covid review meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday decided to conduct a genome sequencing study at the three districts.
Health department sources said that the high rate of vaccination, as well as the high number of testing in Kerala, were the reasons for the comparatively high number of breakthrough infections being detected in Kerala. It was difficult to determine the exact extent of breakthrough infection of the state as it would require a statewide drive. Most of those suffering breakthrough infections were only having mild or insignificant symptoms.
Meanwhile, shortage of syringes was also becoming a concern for the state especially since the state was trying to enhance the Covid vaccination drive as a strategy to curb Covid spread. The Chief Minister said that at present the state has stock of 16 lakh syringes only. Steps were being initiated to pool a maximum number of syringes.
The state is planning to give the first dose to a hundred per cent population above the age of 18 in districts where already 70 per cent got the first dose. The state government also decided to enhance Covid testing in ten districts where the vaccination drive was not progressing rapidly.
Though it was widely anticipated the review meeting may lift the relaxations in lockdown in view of the Covid surge, so far no such decisions were announced.
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