Kerala to increase COVID-19 tests in northern districts due to high number of cases

Malappuram has the highest number of active cases in the state at 13,722, followed by neighbouring Kozhikode with 13,122.
Health Care staff wearing PPE kit at a COVID-19 hospital ward
Health Care staff wearing PPE kit at a COVID-19 hospital ward
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The Kerala government is planning to increase the number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the northern districts of the state, as the number of cases are comparatively higher than other areas. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, speaking at a high-level meeting to evaluate the pandemic situation in the state, said that the government would look into the reasons behind the increase in cases in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod and Wayanad districts. Malappuram has the highest number of active cases in the state at 13,722, followed by neighbouring Kozhikode with 13,122. Wayanad, which has the lowest number of active cases in the state at 3,191, reported 138 new cases on Monday.

"Instructions have been issued to the Health Department to increase the number of tests in those districts. District Collectors have been directed to ensure the same," the CM said in a release. He said some young people with comorbidities were reluctant to visit hospitals and asked the Health Department to strengthen the campaign to admit them to COVID-19 hospitals if needed. Kerala on Monday recorded 8,037 coronavirus cases, taking the caseload to 29.81 lakh, while 102 deaths took the toll to 13,818.

Meanwhile, a high-level multi-disciplinary public health team sent by the Union government to monitor COVID-19 control and containment measures in Kerala inspected the medical college hospital at the state capital and met the District Collector. The team expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the Health Department and informed the media that they would visit other districts in the coming days, a release said. Meanwhile, the Regional Public Health Laboratory in Ernakulam has extended the integrated sample management system to all government hospitals in the district to collect samples of patients and transport them to the lab. The samples under the initiative that need advanced clinical testing at the regional lab will be collected from nodal points where they will be pooled from nearby satellite units. 31 nodal centres have been identified including that at taluk, community, primary, and district levels. 

With PTI Inputs 

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