The Kozhikode district administration is now making arrangements to deal with the spike in COVID-19 cases being witnessed.
A senior health department official said on Thursday that the COVID First-Line Treatment Centers (FLTCs), which had become dormant after infection in the last few months, would be revived. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently directed district collectors to ensure that at least one FLTC is functional in each district. At one time there were about 30 such centers in Kozhikode district, where asymptomatic infected and mild symptoms were admitted. With the government prioritizing the home isolation strategy and the total number of cases declining, the number of people going there has come down.
Another plan is to conduct more tests to detect the infection early. There was a time when the district used to conduct over 20,000 tests a day, including tests through mega camps and mobile medical units. As the government’s testing strategy changed, so did the number of tests. Right now, there is more reliance on RT-PCR tests, which are time-consuming but more accurate. The health official indicated that the state’s testing strategy may change in line with the central guidelines.
TPR 19.92%
Meanwhile, 1,274 people tested positive for the virus in the district on Thursday. The daily test positivity rate rose to 19.92%.
Only 6,497 samples were tested. The active caseload from the district rose to 6,992. The only source of relief is that now very few people are seeking hospitalisation. 75 people are being treated in various government hospitals and 163 others in private hospitals. However, this number may increase if the total number of cases rises again.
The surveillance dashboard of the COVID Jagrata portal is yet to upload the details on the availability of intensive care unit beds and oxygen in the district.