The Covid-19 scenario in Kerala was turning worse with two deaths and 488 fresh cases being reported on Saturday, while a medical team faced resistance from local people at the coastal area of Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram city, which is under the grip of Covid-19 super spread. Some even deliberately coughed at the medical team with the intention spreading infection.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state was on the verge of a community spread as super spread was already confirmed and source of many cases could not be identified. Clusters were found at many parts of the state, he said.
Situation in capital Thiruvananthapuram continued to be grim as 46 of the 69 fresh cases were due to local spread and sources of eleven cases could not be traced yet. A native of Poonthura, where super spread was already confirmed, died on Friday night due to Covid-19. He was identified as Saifuddin, 66. Another Covid-19 death was from Ernakulam district, taking the Covid-19 death toll of Kerala to 29.
The attack on medical team took place at Poonthura on Friday amid the protest by local people alleging lack of supply of essential commodities and proper treatment to this in Covid-19 case centres. As a team led by a doctor reached the locality, an agitated group of people stopped their vehicle ad deliberately coughed against the medical team with the intention of spreading Covid-19 infection. The people alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to frame the coastal area as hub of Covid-19.
The chief minister strongly condemned the incident and even alleged of attempts by political parties to trigger resentment among the people.