PremiumNew Delhi: After having good control during the initial phase of the coronavirus pandemic situation, it has now worsened in Kerala, said Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday.
"I would say that other states should learn a lesson from Kerala. All states need to be careful during the coming festival season," said Vardhan while answering social media interactors during the sixth episode of Sunday Samvaad.
While offering his heartfelt wishes for Navaratri, he exhorted his followers to honour the Prime Minister’s call for Jan Andolan and religiously follow COVID appropriate behaviour. He reiterated his request to everyone to celebrate at home with their loved ones in the traditional way. “This festive season, charity must take precedence over celebration. My own celebrations too shall remain subdued due to the heart rending impact of Covid-19 on lakhs of corona warriors across the world battling for us," the Union Health Minister stated.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan shared his views on the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Kerala. Noting that between January 30 & May 3, Kerala had reported just 499 cases and 2 deaths due to COVID-19, he regretted that Kerala was paying the price of gross negligence during the recent Onam festivities when state-wise unlocking of services, along with an increase in inter and intrastate travel for trade and tourism, led to the spreading of Covid-19 cases across various districts. “Epicurve of Kerala changed completely due to Onam festivities across the State, the daily new cases nearly doubled," he said. The Minister said this ought to serve as a good lesson for all the state government which were being negligent in planning for the festival season.
Kerala's Covid-19 caseload soared to 9,016 on Saturday, taking the infection tally to 3,32,228 as the toll touched 1,139 with 26 more fatalities, In the last 24 hours, 52,067 samples were tested and 7,991 returned negative, taking the recoveries so far to 2,36,989, Health minister K.K. Shailaja had said in a press release. The active caseload touched 96,004. Three districts accounted for over 1,000 cases, with Malappuram recording 1,519, Thrissur 1,109 and Ernakulam 1,022. While Kozhikode reported 926 cases, Thiruvananthapuram had 848. With the addition of 26 more fatalities, the toll climbed to 1,139.
On China’s claim that the novel coronavirus broke out simultaneously in several countries last year, Dr Harsh Vardhan shared that “there is no evidence that can validate the claims on global multiple focal point for the novel coronavirus outbreak". He stated that Wuhan, China remains recognized as the first report worldwide.
Answering a question on the discrepancy in the number of Covid-19 deaths across India, Dr Harsh Vardhan shared that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has taken up the issue of correct certification of Covid-19 deaths with all states and UTs on multiple instances and has also shared a proper modality of reporting of deaths with them to ensure consistency in reporting of Covid-19 related deaths across India.
The Minister assured that there is no shortage in medical oxygen and that the current oxygen production capacity of India is around 6400 MT/day. The Government is ready to scale up the production capacity in order to meet any further increase in demand arising due to the pandemic, he assured.
