Covid: Ernakulam sees rise in admission to hospitals

KOCHI: There is no respite from  Covid cases in  the district. For the last couple of days, admission to hospitals, including private ones, have gone up. According to the health department, currently more than 3,500 patients are under treatment in hospitals in the district. With  Onam festivities just round the corner, the district health authorities are fully geared to deal with a sudden spike in Covid infections. 

“Though the admissions have gone up, arrangements have been made to deal with a sudden spike in infections. We are expecting more admissions, including intensive care unit (ICU) cases. But we are fully geared to handle any surge in cases. Additional beds have been ensured in Covid hospitals and  the Covid facility set up at Ambalamugal has enough facilities, including ventilators, for treating those with complications,” said a health official with the district surveillance team. 

On July 30,  977 Covid patients had been admitted to private hospitals in the district. On Saturday, around 1,200 patients were undergoing treatment at hospitals  in the district. Over the  past few days, more than 2,000 cases are being reported in the district on a daily basis. Test positivity rate stood at 10.46 per cent on Saturday and it was above 11 per cent on Friday. The number of active cases  in the district totalled over 24,000 on Saturday.

“Covid cases in the district are increasing  by the day here. There are still panchayats where the TPR is above 20 per cent. The vaccination drive has done little to check the rising number of Covid infections. This forces us to think of the possible spread of new variants. With a third wave forecast imminent and the upcoming Onam celebrations, there is more work ahead for the government,” said Monu Varghese, a pulmonologist . Meanwhile,  sectoral magistrates in the district on Saturday took action against 240 people for violating the Covid protocol.

2,121 NEW COVID CASES 
Kochi: The district on Saturday reported 2,121 new Covid cases, with a test positivity rate of 10.46 per cent. The newly infected also include four health workers and eight migrant labourers. The sources of infection of 57 cases could not be traced. Meanwhile, 2,308 people recovered from the illness. A total of 24,711 patients are undergoing treatment in the district.