20,224 new Covid-19 cases reported in Kerala

Kochi: Kerala, amidst the Onam festivities, faces the prospect of another explosion in Covid-19 cases, if the data furnished by Health Minister Veena George is any indication. On Friday, the Onam eve, Kerala diagnosed 20, 224 new cases of Covid-19 out of 1.19 lakh samples tested during the last 24 hours. The pandemic claimed 99 lives and this took the State’s death toll to 19,345 till date.

Thrissur topped the table of districts with highest number of cases (2,795) while Ernakulam occupied the second spot with 2,707 new cases. The Test Positivity Rate, a measure of the intensity of transmission of the pandemic remained high with 16.94 per cent. There are 1.82 lakh patients afflicted with the pandemic undergoing treatment across the State while 97 health workers were diagnosed with Covid-19 on Friday.

The increase in the number of health



workers getting afflicted with the pandemic has put more burden on the overworked staff. Last Sunday saw a Government Hospital Nurse at Chenganoor administering 893 vaccinations in a space of seven and half hours. 

The State is facing severe shortage of  medics as well as treatment facilities while the hospitals are getting filled up gradually on account of dengue fever and other contagious diseases, according to an office bearer of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association.

Friday saw unprecedented crowd in markets and malls throughout the State as  shopping was in high pitch in preparation for ThiruOnam (the main annual festival) on Saturday. Public transport services functioned with heavy holiday crowd and traffic blocks were reported from all main thoroughfares in the State.