Summary:
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 19 (PTI) Confirming that Kerala is witnessing a third wave of COVID-19, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday cautioned people against the "super-spread" of the pandemic and said both Delta and Omicron variants of the virus are contributing to the ongoing unprecedented surge in daily cases.
Contrary to the first and second waves, there is rapid spread of the disease in the third wave in the beginning itself, she said at a press conference here.
However, the Congress-led UDF opposition alleged that both the government and the health department were standstills when the third wave hit the state and the lack of preparedness and the scarcity of essential medicines aggravated the situation.
George said if the range of spread was 2.68 per cent during the second wave, it was 3.12 per cent these days and the next three weeks would be crucial for the state.
Though its severity is lesser, Omicron variant has the potential to spread the disease 5-6 times more than the Delta variant and so it should not be taken lightly.
Every single person should adhere to COVID protocol strictly to keep the pandemic under control, she told reporters here.