COVID-19: Kerala Reports More Recoveries Than Active Cases

As India fights the coronavirus pandemic, Kerala is setting an example in effectively containing the outbreak. Kerala was the first state where the number of recovered COVID-19 patients surpassed the number of active cases.

On Friday, April 17, while the state reported 10 more recoveries, only one new case of infection was reported.

Kerala, as of Saturday, April 18, has reported 395 confirmed cases of the virus, of which there are three casualties. With 138 active cases, Kerala is now the first state where the number of recovered COVID-19 patients has surpassed the number of active cases.

With 255 recoveries, the state has the third-highest number of recoveries after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. While Maharashtra has over 3,000 confirmed cases, Tamil Nadu has reported over 1,000 cases. Kerala, which was on top of the list of states with the maximum number of active cases, is today, at the 14th position, according to The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"There is also good progress in testing, and we are doing increased numbers now. But we cannot afford to give more exemptions and relaxations in the lockdown condition just yet," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters.

The State Health Minister KK Shailaja on Thursday, April 16, said that the state's mortality rate due to the novel coronavirus is below 0.5 per cent, whereas it's over 5 per cent in the world.

"Coronavirus mortality rate in Kerala is below 0.5% but in world it is more than 5%. In some places, it is even more than 10%. Most of the people who are in isolation in the hospitals are stable and very few are in critical stage. We are treating them with most care," the Minister told ANI.

She added that the state also has a very high discharging or cure rate. "The discharging or cure rate is also very high in Kerala because of our systematic work. We evaluate everything every day," Shailaja said.

The Kerala cabinet following a meeting on Thursday recommended that the central government categorise the state's four districts - Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram - as "red zones" and two - Wayanad and Kottayam - as "green zones" for COVID-19, reported India Today.

The cabinet has also proposed putting eight other districts, where novel coronavirus infections are less than 10 and the recovery rate is higher, under the "orange" category.

Furthermore, based on the epidemiological chart, the state will be categorised into red, orange and green zones into four categories - high risk, moderate risk, low risk and minimum risk.

After consulting with the Union government, the state will relax lockdown measures in green and orange zones.

Amid the lockdown, the state government has also issued an order giving permission for interstate travel to those seeking treatment in the state, or pregnant women, and in case of death of a relative or imminent death.

The state government is setting up 22 cancer treatment centres across the state in association with the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram, to enable cancer patients to continue their treatment during the lockdown.

"As the immunity of cancer patients is less, it is not advisable for them to travel long distances for their treatment. Any exposure to the coronavirus would have serious repercussions on their health. These cancer treatment centres would benefit them immensely," the CM said.

Also Read: Early Preparations, Aggressive Contact Tracing, Testing: How Kerala Is Flattening Its Coronavirus Curve