Kerala Health Minister assures preparedness for COVID-19 surge amidst record active cases
The Health Minister of Kerala, Veena George, has stated that the state is prepared to handle a surge in COVID-19 cases, as the state records its highest number of active cases since the pandemic began. Kerala has been seeing a steady rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, with the daily cases crossing the 3,000 mark. As per the weekly COVID positivity rate released by the Centre, Kerala reported a spike from 1.47 percent to 4.51 percent of COVID cases.
Veena George, Kerala Health Minister said, “We’ve been prepared to handle a wave. 13 ICU cases are there currently. Senior citizens, pregnant ladies, and children are advised to wear a mask while stepping out. We’ve decided to increase the normal and ICU beds, and ventilators according to requirement.”
In a statement, the Health Minister reassured the public that the state has taken all necessary steps to deal with the situation. She mentioned that the state has ramped up its testing and contact tracing efforts, as well as set up COVID-19 treatment centers across the state.
The Minister also urged the public to strictly adhere to COVID-19 guidelines and protocols, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, to help curb the spread of the virus.
Kerala was initially praised for its handling of the pandemic but has recently seen a surge in cases, with a total of 37,190 active cases as of March 24th. The state government has announced a series of measures to contain the spread of the virus, including imposing restrictions on public gatherings and increasing the number of testing centers.
The rise in cases in Kerala comes as India as a whole is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, with several states reporting an increase in daily cases. India has reported over 1,20,000 new cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began.
Staff Reporter
