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Thiruvananthapuram, May 10 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said things in the state continue to be grave as the average test positivity rate (TPR) in the past three days stands at 26.5 per cent and adherence to lockdown norms is the only way out, as the state expects the total number of active cases to touch six lakh by end of the week.
"The first lockdown that we had last year was a preventive one and today it is an emergency lockdown as the local spread is rampant and our prime concern is to keep the death rate at the least," he said.
Vijayan said that on Monday, 27,487 new cases were reported after 99,748 samples were tested, taking the total active cases in the state to 4,19,726.
"It has also been found out that that in 72 village councils, the TPR is 50 per cent while in 300 village councils, it stands above 30 per cent and in 57 councils, the active case load stands between 500 to 2000 cases. This shows the gravity of the situation and the only way is to adhere to lockdown norms and not to venture out," he said.
Vijayan noted that in an hour after the state Police Department opened an online facility for e-passes, more than one lakh applications surfaced. "This attitude is not good as the whole purpose of the lockdown will be defeated," he said.
The Chief Minister also said that it been decided to appoint more medical professionals immediately and all those who have passed out will be appointed on contract basis. More treatment facilities would be opened all across the state, he added.
He said the Centre has allowed sanction for opening three new oxygen plants and the state government are speaking to start-up companies to see how quickly they can get pulse oximeters which is currently in short supply.
"The first batch of 3.5 lakh doses of the state government-ordered vaccines have arrived early in the day and will be given to those in the age group of 18 to 45... preference will be given to those with co-morbidities, besides all frontline workers including journalists will get preference," added Vijayan.
He said on Monday a detailed letter was written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the steps taken by the state government to tackle Covid, under the protocols of the Centre and said it has also been informed that the state will not be able to supply oxygen to other states, as the stock has depleted and also on account of the huge surge.
Vijayan also said the police collected Rs 34.50 lakh by way of fines after 14,000 cases was registered in the day from those who failed to wear masks and/or violated social distancing norms.
In a related development, Kerala-headquartered Federal Bank on Monday donated Rs 3.55 crore for setting up a special Covid facility at the Aluva Government District Hospital where an ICU will be set up with 100 beds with ventilators and several other advanced medical support equipment.
--IANS
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