Six months on with COVID-19, Kerala to wage 'big war' against pandemic

Six months after recording country's first COVID-19 case, Kerala is w gearing up to face "a big war" against pandemic with state under a third wave with total cases crossing 22,000 mark.

Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan on Thursday said government was using all its resources to fight pandemic while Health Minister K K Shailaja said state would put up a combinedbattle against virus, whose tally stood at 22,297 with 70 fatalities as of date.

opposition Congress criticised government over handling of pandemic, claiming it was a "total failure" in past six months.

It was on January 30 that state reported first COVID-19 case in country when a woman medical student tested positive on her return to state from Wuhan in China, epicentre of vel coronavirus.

second and third cases in country were also Wuhan returnees from Kerala and all three were successfully treated and discharged from hospitals with state's healthcare model drawing praise from various quarters.

"Our journey with COVID began six months ago. government is using all itsresources to overcome unfamiliar circumstances", Vijayan said, as he praised people for ir support in battle against pandemic.

Shailaja said: "What is going tocome w, isa big war.... In third phase also state has t lost any ground (in battle against virus)", she said.

After successful treatment and isolation of contacts of first batch of cases, state was hit by second wave of infections when a three-member family from Italy returned to Ranni vill in Pathanamthitta district on March 8.

Several of ir close relatives, including a 93-year-old Thomas Abraham and his 88-year old wife Mariyamma, contracted virus, but recovered with man becoming n oldest COVID-19 survivor in country.

In second phase, re were 496 positive cases, including 165 who contracted disease through contact, Vijayan said.

When nation-wide lockdown was introduced on March24, re were 105 patients under treatment and byMay 8 active cases dipped to just 16 while infection count stood at 503, prompting government to declare it has flattened coronavirus curve.

However, with more and more people who returned to Kerala from Gulf region and or countries and states testing positive for virus, state's positive cases nearly doubled to 1,000 by May 27.

Since Unlock-1 began, so far 6.82 lakh people, including 4.19 lakh from or states, have returned to state.

In past six months, due to government's systematic intervention, despite predictions, state did t slide into any dangerous situation, Vijayan said.

On July 4, Kerala's tally stood at 5,000 cases and it breached 10,000 mark by July 16 and took ar 12 days to furr double to 20,000, indicating rapid spre.

Community transmission was also reported in two coastal hamlets in Thiruvananthapuram district.

With more and more cases, government has decidedthat asymptomatic patients can undergo treatment at ir homes provided y have a single room with toilet facilities.

On an experimental basis health workers would be allowed to use this option in Thiruvananthapuram, where total number of patients is highest -- 3,023 as on Wednesday.

Slamming government over its tackling of virus during past six months,Leer of Opposition in state assembly Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday alleged it was a "total failure".

government's "plan A, B and C seems to have been abandoned," he told reporters here after a meeting of Congress-led UDF meeting.

Lack of eugh testing, delayed test results and transparency in data were allegations raised by him against government.

According to official data, state has tested over seven lakh samples till Wednesday.