NEW DELHI: It’s been one year since the reporting of first case of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The first positive case was that of a Malayalee medical student from Thrissur who came back from Wuhan.

Later the pandemic was confirmed on three more people but through effective surveillance, the state government was able to curb the massive spread of the virus. But on March 8, four of the Malayali family who came from Italy was tested positive for the pandemic and following this, many people contracted the pandemic.

Kerala earned the praise of the whole world through the right implementation of quarantine and contact list of the patients. Although from October, when the pandemic came under control in other states of India, in Kerala it is still getting worse day by day. More than 40 per cent of covid cases in the Country is reported from Kerala. Whereas the death rate is lower in Kerala when compared to other states. When the average death rate in the country is 2.1 for Kerala it is 0.42 per cent.

“The state should be more vigilant at this time than ever,” said Dr Iqbal, planning board member and chief of Covid 19 experts panel. February is a crucial month for the state. “Kerala which was a model for the entire country in the prevention of the pandemic is now reeling due to the virus,” he told Keralakaumudi.