Kozhikode district has been reporting a high rate of recoveries from COVID-19 infection even though the daily test positivity rate (TPR) seems to be hovering above 25% almost every day. A total of 4,890 people were discharged from various health facilities on Tuesday, while 3,927 others tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
The daily TPR was 27.28% when 15,204 samples were tested. According to the District Medical Officer, there were 3,842 cases of local transmission of the infection, of which 1,454 were from the Kozhikode Corporation alone. Kunnamangalam reported 99 cases, Unnikulam 98, and Feroke 90. The active caseload from the district is now 48,252.
Health Department officials claimed that 1,056 of the 3,221 beds were vacant at 56 hospitals designated for COVID-19 treatment. There are 76 beds with intensive care units and 23 ventilators. A total of 345 beds have oxygen support. As many as 486 beds are available at 10 first-line treatment centres (FLTCs).
Meanwhile, District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao said local bodies had been asked to purchase oxygen concentrators to ensure the availability of medical oxygen for COVID patients. The Kozhikode Corporation would buy 25 units, municipalities five each and grama panchayats two each.
This was decided at an online meeting held on Tuesday. Mr. Rao said local bodies needed to ensure that the last rites of infected persons were conducted. A total of 38 local bodies in Kozhikode had their own facilities. If a grama panchayat does not have the facility, the adjacent local body should be contacted. The District Collector warned of action against traders overcharging for food products.
Mr. Rao said people aged above 50 years and exhibiting symptoms should be shifted to domiciliary care centres or FLTCs. If bedridden patients have any symptoms, they too should be shifted to the FLTCs. Mobile medical units should be ready to take care of those in home isolation. All FLTCs should have ambulance services. Mr. Rao also directed local body chiefs to ensure that migrant labourers were taken care of.
