Thiruvananthapuram: Health authorities in Kerala are bracing up for the most challenging community spread as there is consistent spike in the spread of infection through contact.
The situation is considered particularly bad in Thiruvananthapuram, where the entire coast line facing grave danger. At least two areas of Thiruvananthapuram are already facing community spread and the number of areas with such risk is increasing on a daily basis.
The coastal area has been divided into three critical containment zones, where entry and exits are completely restricted. All fishing operations, including sale of fish, have been banned until further orders.
The authorities expect the addition of daily cases to cross 1,000 by August, in the event of which the existing facilities for treatment would be inadequate. This has prompted the government to set up first line Covid treatment centres (CFLTC).
Each district has two designated Covid hospitals. The private sector has also been roped in for the treatment of coronavirus patients. The first line centres are in addition to these.
Local self-government bodies have identified college hostels, hotels and other buildings to be converted into first line centres. The plan is to add 50,000 beds under these centres.
Health minister KK Shylaja said at the inauguration of one such centre that the regular hospitals will not be able to handle the expected increase in caseloads. The plan is to have a three-tier arrangement under which serious cases will be treated in the hospitals with ICU and ventilator facilities and less severe cases handled at the first line treatment centres while asymptomatic cases will be treated at home itself.
It has been found that up to 60 percent of Covid patients in the state are asymptomatic. Most of them can be treated at home and in the event of their condition worsening, they can be shifted to a nearby treatment facility. This model has been successfully tried out in some foreign.
