Kerala to ramp up daily Covid tests to 1 lakh: Minister Shailaja

Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of Kerala witnessing a surge in corona cases, Health Minister KK Shailaja on Thursday said that the number of daily tests conducted in the state will be increased to one lakh.

"Since there is a surge in corona cases, we will increase the number of tests to around 1,00,000 per day compared with an average 50,000-55,000 now. We will also increase RT-PCR tests instead of the antigen tests and undertake strict monitoring to prevent a surge in corona cases. As I said earlier too, we have controlled the fatality rate -- one of the lowest in the country. We expect to bring down the cases also soon," IANS quoted the health minister as saying.

Several health experts have warned the state government to act immediately or else the situation could get out of hand with a surge in corona cases in the past few days.

"Kerala is "a victim of its own success" and people have lowered the guard after their euphoria over containment of the virus in the initial phases," Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Scientific Adviser, Indian Medical Association (IMA) told the media.

Dr Jayadevan in a note to the government also advised that the the Chief Minister and Health Minister must immediately act and bring the situation under control.

He also pointed out that Intensive Care Units in the state were "fast filling up".

A study conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College reveals that 56 per cent of the patients it surveyed contracted corona infections from own homes, about 20 per cent from markets, shopping malls and restaurants, and another 20 per cent from workplaces.

As many as 65 per cent of the patients included in its study did not follow social distancing while 45 per cent did not wear masks. Five per cent children got infected in schools and 47 per cent at home, the study added.