Kerala tops with 40,000 breakthrough cases; Centre for genomic sequencing of all such cases
Of a total over 1 lakh breakthrough Covid-19 cases reported in India so far, Kerala tops the list with over 40,000 such infections, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Breakthrough cases are those cases in which recovered people contract the disease for a second time or those fully vaccinated contract infection.
While this has raised concerns whether a new variant which is much more transmissible than the Delta variant is responsible for spike in Kerala, the Centre has dismissed this theory and has now stressed on genomic sequencing of all the breakthrough cases in the State.
“Now the ICMR has decided to carry out genomic sequencing for all breakthrough infections to understand the nature of the variant causing the spread of the infection,” said sources in the Union Health Ministry. They said they have communicated the same to the Kerala Government.
Sequencing of breakthrough samples will tell the researchers if there is a different coronavirus variant that is escaping the immunity generated by vaccination, leading to infection among fully vaccinated.
Breakthrough Covid-19 cases were high in Pathanamthitta district and a similar situation was seen in other districts as well. A team of the Union Health Ministry is now expected to visit Kerala after August 15.
A Central team that visited eight districts of Kerala had on Tuesday at a Press conference said the State may witness around 4.6 lakh cases of coronavirus from August 1 to August 20. The six-member team of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was sent to Kerala by the Centre to take stock of the pandemic situation in the State.
Meanwhile, the number of new Covid-19 cases increased to 38,353 in the last 24 hours, a rise of over 10,000 from Monday when India reported 28,204 infections.
Daily fatalities were also higher at 479 on Wednesday compared to 373 deaths on Tuesday.
India’s active caseload has climbed to 3,86,351 -- the lowest in 140 days, the Union Health Ministry added. The Covid-19 active cases constitute 1.21 per cent of the total cases. Besides, India has achieved its highest recovery rate today at 97.45 per cent, the Health Ministry said. A total 40,013 patients recovered in the last 24 hours.
The weekly positivity rate also remained below 5 per cent and is currently at 2.34 per cent. Further, the daily positivity rate is at 2.16 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 15 consecutive days.
Meanwhile, the Ministry said, more than 40 lakh vaccine doses have been administered across India as on Wednesday, taking total cumulative Covid vaccination coverage to 52,32,53,450 ie 52.32 crores.
