Kerala Battles Covid Surge with Vigilance and Preparedness

Kerala is witnessing a rise in Covid cases, yet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reassures the public that testing and treatment facilities are well-prepared. The state, predominantly affected by the Omicron JN variant LF7, maintains robust healthcare infrastructure, including adequate medicines, oxygen, and ICU beds, to combat this surge.

Most active cases are concentrated in districts like Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha. In response to this rise, the health minister convened a state-level meeting of rapid response teams, advocating for stringent precautions and readying necessary arrangements. District-level assessments have also been conducted to evaluate the situation comprehensively.

Officials stress the importance of mask-wearing for symptomatic individuals and vulnerable populations, enforcing this rule in hospitals. As the rainy season may exacerbate infectious diseases, extreme caution against leptospirosis and water-borne diseases is advised, with recommendations to consume only boiled water and to take preventive medications when necessary.

(With inputs from agencies.)