Why Is Covid Caseload Increasing In Kerala? Renowned Virologist Explains

Kerala has been recording more than 10,000 cases on a daily basis over the past month and the state is accounting for almost 30 per cent of India's Covid Caseload on a daily basis

Kerala under scanner for increasing Covid caseload once again.

Thiruvananthapuram: India recorded 43,393 new covid cases in the last 24 hours and the Test Positivity Rate remained less than 3 percent for the 18th day in a row. When the country is seeing a declining trend, it seems like all is not well in Kerala.

The number of active Covid cases in Kerala has started increasing in the past two days. More than 1,10,000 cases still remain active in the state despite the covid surveillance.

In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh the number of active cases has fallen sharply. However, Kerala has been recording more than 10,000 cases on a daily basis over the past month. 

Of the 43,393 cases reported in the country, more than 30 percent of cases are accounted for from Kerala. Of the total population of the state (3.6 crores), eight percent (nearly 30 lakh) have so far been infected by Covid.

According to the MOHFW data, over 61 lakh people in Maharashtra have tested positive for Covid while dishing out its positivity rate at less than 5 per cent. On the flip side, Kerala with a lesser population compared to Maharashtra, recorded a Test Positivity Rate of more than 10 per cent, which is the reason to get the state under scanner. 

What is the reason for this surge?

In response to a report on Kerala's Covid caseload, renowned virologist Gagandeep Kang took to Twitter to explain the situation. "These data are important when people ask why so many cases continuing in Kerala. More cases imply a good number of testing and detection while a low fatality rate implies good clinical care and a system that is not overwhelmed by the virus. The pandemic is not over yet; systems need to stay ready, as in Kerala." 

According to a report published by Statista Research Department on July 5, 3.5% of the total population of Tamil Nadu have tested positive for Covid-19. But In the month of April, a district-wide serosurvey released by the Tamil Nadu Health Department revealed that 23% of the total population may have been infected due to the dreadful virus. Therefore, only one in seven corona-infected persons are diagnosed in Tamil Nadu.

In addition, Kerala leads in vaccine management over Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka. In this state, 45% of the beneficiaries have been vaccinated with the first dose and more than 10% of the beneficiaries have been vaccinated with the second dose.