The COVID-19 case graph as well as the test positivity rate (TPR) in Kerala soared on Wednesday, raising the spectre of another wave in the rising, as it happened last year in the post-Onam period
The State logged 31,445 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, when 1,65,273 samples were tested over 24 hours. While this is indeed a huge leap from the 24,296 cases reported on the previous day, testing had simultaneously been increased.
The TPR, which has been steadily rising, touched 19.03%.
Shorter incubation period
While a definite surge in cases was expected in the post-Onam period, the surge is showing up faster this year, possibly because the Delta variant currently in circulation, seems to have a shorter incubation period than the original virus.
However, the government hopes that even as active transmission continues, hospitalisations will not show a steep rise as vaccination has been progressing at a good pace in the State and a significant proportion of the eligible population has been delivered at least the first dose of vaccine.
The State’s active case pool, which had 1,59,335 patients on Tuesday, has now surged to 1,70,292. The number of patients reported to have recovered on the day was 20,271.
No dip in deaths
Deaths due to COVID-19 remains at a steady high in the State even when hospitalisations and ICU occupancy figures remain stable. The State has not been able to make any impact on COVID-19 mortality in spite of the fact that a substantial percentage of the population above 60 years have been fully or partially vaccinated.
The official cumulative COVID-19 case fatality now stands at 19,972 with the State adding 215 recent deaths to the list.
ICU occupancy and hospitalisation figures have not seen a major fluctuation for the past two weeks despite the surge in new cases. However, the surge in case graph in the post-Onam period would get reflected in these figures only after two weeks. The current ICU occupancy is stable at 2,047 while the number of those requiring ventilator support is 790.
On Wednesday, the number of patients newly admitted to hospitals with COVID went up steeply from 2,078 to 2,439. However, because of a good number of recoveries, total hospitalisation figures of those with moderate or severe COVID-19 continues to remain stable at 26,582, despite the increase in active cases.
The cumulative case burden stands at 38, 83,429 cases.
District-wise
Among districts, Ernakulam reported the highest number of new cases — 4,048.
Cases in other districts are Thrissur 3,865; Kozhikode 3,680; Malappuram 3,503; Palakkad 2,562; Kollam 2,479; Kottayam 2,050; Kannur 1,930; Alappuzha 1,874; Thiruvananthapuram 1,700; Idukki 1,166; Pathanamthitta 1,008; Wayanad 962; and Kasaragod 619.
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