41 pregnant women died of COVID in Kerala, 149 patients ended life: Govt

As many as 41 pregnant women have lost their lives to COVID in Kerala since the outbreak of the pandemic in the southern state one-and-a-half years ago, health minister Veena George told the Kerala Assembly on Wednesday.

The number of the COVID positive persons who committed suicide in the state stood at 149, she said during question hour, replying to a question in this regard raised by Congress legislator TJ Vinod.

“As per the figures reported from the districts, 41 pregnant women have succumbed to the disease in the state. Besides, 149 patients affected with the viral infection have committed suicide,” George said in Thiruvananthapuram.

Responding to another query by Congress’ Mathew Kuzhalnadan, she said that according to reports, there seems to be no difference in findings of the recent seroprevalence scientific study conducted by the state health department and similar surveys conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

According to the ICMR study, seropositivity rate in Kerala was 0.33 per cent, 0.88 per cent and 11.6 per cent in May, August and December in 2020, respectively and 44.4 per cent in May 2021, the minister noted. “It has risen to 82.61 per cent when the state conducted the seroprevalence study during August-September this year.”

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The increase in the seropositivity rate in the state was expected and could be attributed to the progress in vaccination and the lifestyle of people, the minister said, adding that it was the reflection of effective COVID management initiatives of the state government.

The findings of the state study indicated that a larger section of the population has attained the resistance against the pandemic. It also pointed out that 17 per cent of the total population was still prone to the disease, George said.

The highest seroprevalence rate, among various categories of people who have received two doses of vaccine, was found among the coastal people at 93.3 per cent, the minister added, quoting the survey.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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