Steady climb in breakthrough infections in Ernakulam

Around 9,229 cases reported last month in district

Ernakulam is witnessing a steady increase in breakthrough infections (vaccinated people testing positive), according to estimates by the Health Department. Around 9,229 (nearly 19%) breakthrough infections were detected in July out of the total 49,049 COVID-19 cases. As many as 18,159 of the infections were among the partially vaccinated in the district after it launched the vaccination drive. The number among those fully vaccinated was 4,837. A breakthrough infection is a case of illness in which a vaccinated individual becomes sick from the same illness that the vaccine is meant to prevent. However, breakthrough infections were detected only in 0.96% of the about 18.84 lakh, who had received vaccination as on August 1. “Hospitalisation is minimal in such cases even though the number of breakthrough infections is increasing. It has been mainly caused by the Delta variant,” said M.I. Junaid Rahman, the nodal officer for COVID-19 management, Indian Medical Association, Kochi.