Cases Through Contact Has Decreased To 15 Per Cent In Second Phase: Kerala Health Minister

Mumbai: Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said on Friday that the second wave had reduced to 15 percent through contacts, opposed to 30 percent in the first phase.

“It is now the next COVID wave in the state. On May 7, the state had 512 positive cases and stood at three after death. All others were recovered. When the lockdown was relaxed and transportation was reinstated, many people came to the state from various parts of the world. Now people are coming back to the state from epicenters. Many of them have tested positive,” Shailaja said.

“The increase in the number of positive cases is not unexpected. In the second wave, cases are decreasing through contact. Now, 15 percent are testing positive through contact. In the first stage, it was 30 per cent. Even though the cost borne by the state for the test per person is Rs 4,000 we will continue free treatment,” she added.

She said: “A Pathanamthitta native of COVID-19 died today at Kottayam Medical College. He returned from the Gulf on May 11. He was suffering from acute diabetes and obesity. He was on ventilator support. We tried our level best to save his life.”

Shailaja further said that so far no community has spread in the state.

“We were not able to trace the origin of two-three cases. The contact tracing team is very efficient and they are tracing all contacts. Even in cases of unnatural deaths, we are doing COVID-19 tests. We are also monitoring whether peripheral pneumonia cases are increasing in the state. Till yesterday, we did not register an increase in peripheral pneumonia cases,” she said.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of positive cases in Kerala as on Friday stands at 1,088. 

As many as 555 persons have recovered while the death toll in the state stands at 7.

(With Agency Inputs)

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and interesting stories.