COVID-19: Ernakulam becomes Kerala’s first district to achieve 100% administration of 1st dose of vaccination

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: Ernakulam becomes the first district in Kerala to complete 100 percent COVID vaccination of its target population with the first dose, Industries Minister P Rajeev announced on Saturday (October 2, 2021).

While addressing the audience at a felicitation program of hospital authorities and health workers in the district, Rajeev said, "Today is a very proud occasion. A vast district like Ernakulam has completed 100 percent first dose vaccination in Kerala. I am now announcing this formally."

Sharing state government`s target of completing 100 percent administration of the second dose of the vaccine within the next three months, the Minister said, "The second dose will be completed within three months. Now the second completed around 50 percent."

"The district administration and the health system have done a commendable job. The health system in the state became ready to deal with COVID very quickly. The district has set an example for India. We tried all the possibilities. We used a technological system to perform well. Coordination between government and private agencies was well established. As part of that, we are able to control COVID and its death rate in the district. No one in the district has been deprived of oxygen since the second wave of COVID," he said while lauding the efforts of the healthcare workers and their crucial role in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In Kerala, the health sector has created the largest number of posts for jobs. In India itself, perhaps the world itself, Kerala is the best in terms of controlling the death rate. It has to be said that the government`s strategy for COVID control has succeeded," he added.

Meanwhile, Kerala on Saturday reported 13,217 new COVID-19 cases, 14,437 recoveries and 121 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state has 1,41,155 active cases. The death toll stands at 25,303. In the last 24 hours, 96,835 samples were tested to detect the presence of the virus.