Relaxing restrictions will result in a rapid spread of COVID-19 in Kerala, according to the Centre

New Delhi: The number of Covid-19 cases in Kerala is increasing. According to officials from the central health ministry, the total number of cases reported in the state in the last week is half of the national total. Taking this into consideration, the federal government has directed the state to tighten Covid-19 restrictions and increase the number of RT-PCR tests.

The country is still in the grip of the pandemic’s second wave, with over 30,000 cases reported every day. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) is greater than 10% in 44 districts. Ten of the country’s 18 districts with a high number of COVID cases are in Kerala. Relaxing measures at this point will result in a rapid spread of the disease, according to ministry officials.

COVID prevention measures in the state, as well as zone classifications A,B,C,D, have not been effective in controlling the outbreak. Rather than testing only those who have symptoms, more tests should be performed in clusters where disease is more prevalent. Failures in monitoring those under quarantine at home and identifying close contacts of people infected were blamed for the massive spread. The state should do a better job of implementing and monitoring home isolation.

TPR in Malappuram district is higher than 17%. In this study, antigen tests accounted for 80 percent of all tests performed, while RT-PCR tests accounted for only 20 percent. Officials urged the state to conduct additional RT-PCR tests. The directives were issued following the submission of a report by a six-member team that had visited the state to study the Covid-19 situation.