Prolonged Second Wave Or Is The Third Wave Of COVID Already Here, What Is Happening In Kerala
On Wednesday, Kerala recorded 15,637 new cases of COVID-19 infections in the state in the past 24 hours.
This is almost double of the 8,602 cases Maharashtra registered during the same time. In fact, Kerala is the only state that is still seeing over 10,000 new cases in a day.
While COVID-19 cases are on the decline in almost all states, Kerala is on a different trajectory.
Instead of coming down, the daily numbers indicate that there is an increase in infections.
Daily rise
In the past 2-3 weeks, Kerala's daily cases have been hovering around the 15,000 mark and it dropped below 10,000 only on weekends when the number of tests has dropped.
With COVID-19 cases not coming down, but showing an uptick, there are fears that the state could already in the third wave.
Out of the 14 districts in Kerala, nearly half have been witnessing an increasing trend in Covid infections over the last month.
Ajay Bhalla, the Union Home Secretary wrote to the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of the States and Union Territories to issue strict directions to regulate crowded places, due to an increase in the COVID ‘R’ factor. As per reports, the ‘R’ factor of COVID-19 is the reason behind the increase in cases in Kerala. The ‘R’ factor refers to the reproduction rate of the virus.?
One of the reasons health experts in Kerala have suggested for the still increase in cases is the high number of people who are still vulnerable to the infection.
Sero survey results from the state have suggested that only 11% of the state’s population had antibodies, as compared to 21% across India.
This means that majority of the people in the state are still vulnerable.
According to the IMA's Kerala chapter, only 30% of the total population has secured immunity through vaccination.?
Some have also suggested that due to the initial containment measures, COVID-19 peaked in Kerala only late and it is still on a downward slope.
Like other states, Kerala too has been unlocking in a phased manner, depending on the TPR of the area.
But that is now adding to the problems the government is facing.
Traders who have been facing losses since last year are up in arms against the government calling for an end to the restrictions and allow them to open their businesses.
Even the IMA has termed the lockdown restrictions implemented in the state “unscientific”. The present restrictions are only leading to overcrowding of people and it is not going to do any good for bringing down the cases.
The IMA in a statement said the restriction in the opening of shops and establishments are leading to overcrowding of people in the shops when it is opened. In many places it has been found that the people are not maintaining Covid protocols.
It is purely unscientific to have total lockdown on a few days and open everything in other days. This will lead to crowding of people in those places, which causes the present crisis, said IMA state president Dr P T Zachrias.
