IMA rings caution as Covid surges throughout Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the umbrella body of Medical doctors has warned the state government to take extreme caution and increase the number of daily Covid tests as the situation may get further out of hands.

The IMA released a statement saying that the high positivity rate (12.48 per cent) and the filling up of the Covid ICUs was a cause of concern. The IMA also said that the surge in the number of cases in Ernakulam district which is the travel hub of the state is also a major cause of anxiety.

The medical organizations fear that any lapse in guard at this point will make matters worse.

The IMA also cited Britain's example and said that the unscientific measures adopted by the UK had resulted in the surge of disease and also a new strain leading to 1 Londoner in every 35 being a Covid patient.

Thousands are dying daily and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not see a respite in near future. The medical fraternity also said that the disease is coming back with a rage in countries where it had created havoc and with the new variants like B 1.1.7, 501Y.V2, P.1.

IMA cautioned people that the "Pandemic Curve" is not like a hill but a "Mountain Range" with several ups and downs.

The organization said that coming together of people for any function has to be strictly prohibited and people should reduce the meetings even in "Social Bubbles".

Rajeev Jayadevan, TV Ravi and Athul Manuel of the IMA in a joint statement said that people should forgo all personal comforts and take steps to bring down the numbers.

The IMA said that masks, social distancing and sanitization must continue. Even after vaccination, people must continue to cooperate with the medical professionals and health care workers and abide by the guidelines brought out by the medical fraternity.