Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 24 (PTI) Amid concerns over rising COVID-19 cases in Kerala after the Onam season, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday directed the authorities to conduct more tests in the districts which have a poor rate of vaccination.

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Kerala on Tuesday reported 24,296 COVID-19 cases and 173 deaths, pushing the total infection count to 38,51,984 and fatalities to 19,757 till date. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) jumped to 18.04 per cent from 15.63 per cent on Monday.

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At a COVID-19 evaluation meet, Vijayan directed those district administrations which have administered the first dose vaccination to 70 per cent population to complete the vaccination process within next two weeks.

"Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam Districts have a high rate vaccination and hence only those with symptoms will be tested there. Testing will be increased in other districts," Vijayan said in a release.

The chief minister also directed the local self-government bodies to submit a report on vaccination in their jurisdiction.

Vijayan said the rate of breakthrough infections in Idukki, Palakkad and Kasaragod districts are more than five per cent and directed the Health Department to conduct genetic studies in these districts.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated multiple health projects in Kannur district today and said the state would be equipped to deal with any sort of contingency.

"Experts have opined that another wave may hit us soon. We need to equip our health system to deal with any sort of contingency. We need enough supply of oxygen, ICUs, and our health system must be ready," he said.

Vijayan said while six people get affected, one person is identified in Kerala.

"However, certain other states have been identifying only one from 12 persons affected or one in 18 and in certain other states, 1 in 80 persons. This shows that our health system is working effectively," Vijayan said.

He said an effective health system in Kerala has helped it in becoming the state which has been tracing and identifying the most number of patients in the country and giving them effective treatment.

Meanwhile, state health minister Veena George said a total of 2,65,82,188 people have been administered with the first and second doses of vaccines in the state till now.

"Out of it, 1,95,36,461 persons received the first dose of vaccine while 70,45,727 persons received the second dose," minister said in a release.

Earlier in the day, George has said that post Onam the number of coronavirus cases was expected to increase and therefore, hospitals need to be equipped to deal with any such situation. Besides, in anticipation of a third wave of COVID-19, arrangements are being made to deal with that by setting up oxygen beds, ICUs and ventilators in hospitals at the district level, she said in a Facebook post.

George said the state government was aiming to inoculate everyone above 18 years of age with the first dose of COVID vaccine by September end and directions have been given to all districts to formulate vaccination plans.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)