Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacted sharply to the Opposition Congress allegations over "mismanagement'' in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the state's Case Fatality Rate was below the national average, none had died due to lack of oxygen facility and no patient had to scramble to get a hospital bed.
Amid the rising cases and the opposition attack, Vijayan met the media after over a one month gap and alleged that certain elements were trying to malign the state and said the people had seen the reality, "which cannot be erased." He also announced that night curfew would be enforced in the state from next week from 10 pm to 6 am to prevent the spread of pandemic.
"In areas where the weekly infection population ratio is above seven per cent, the government has decided to implement a lockdown. From next week, there will be a night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am, he said.
The Opposition Congress and the BJP have been attacking the Left government over the rising number of cases and demanding that the chief minister break his silence, as the daily Covid cases have crossed the 30,000 mark for the last four days.
"No one died in the state due to lack of oxygen facility or no one had to scramble for hospitals in Kerala. No one had to queue up in front of crematoriums with the body of their dear ones. People here did not face any situation to dump the dead bodies in rivers. Whatever they say, the people have seen the reality... that cannot be erased. It was because we the people fought together," Vijayan said.
He said the state government was able to maintain the case fatality rate well below the national average as the health sector in Kerala was strengthened and was not overstretched. Vijayan debunked the charge of Opposition leader VD Satheesan that officials have "hijacked" the Covid-19 management in the state and said starting from the Covid-19 volunteers at the local level, all officials are taking part in the fight against the pandemic.
"Not only officials, but our frontline workers, the people's representatives at the local level, volunteers and others are taking part in the fight against the pandemic. The government and the officials are not separate entities, but work together. It's unfortunate that such statements are being made," the chief minister said.
Satheeshan had charged that the Covid management in Kerala was an "utter failure" and said the state has been reporting 68 per cent of the total cases in the country. Explaining the Covid situation in the state, Vijayan said the prime objective of the government was to save the lives of the maximum number of people in this pandemic. Vijayan also listed out various articles complimenting the Left government for its Covid management in the state.
"During a pandemic, the plan is always to save maximum lives. Kerala has a high density of population, high number of people with lifestyle diseases, high number of aged population and other factors that may result in high fatality rate. But reports show the CFR here is 0.51 per cent, whereas the national average is 1.34 per cent," Vijayan said.
