There has been a frightening surge in the number of covid patients in the state. And the most worrying part of it is that no region is unaffected. The reports from all the 14 districts are bad.

The situation is particularly grim in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram and Ernakulam. The Kerala capital first. More hotspots have emerged in the state capital; and more areas have been declared as containment zones. Administration and the police have promptly put the restrictions, relaxed in between, back in place.

The police, too, have shed their ambivalent attitude. Police DGP Loknath Behra has talked tough, and warned the violators of lockdown-related restrictions. The days of appeal and requests are over. Now it is time for action. And he has started walking the talk. Cases are being filed against the people who violate quarantine norms, those who venture out of their homes for the mere heck of it and people who refuse to wear masks. One of the main markets, Palayam in the heart of the city, has been closed. Visitors to government offices have been severely restricted, too.

It is the right thing to do. People across the state had been emboldened by a slackening of the strict vigil maintained by the administration and the police. That scenario has undergone a drastic change. Following instructions from the very top, the police have toughened their act. Expectedly, the violators are beginning to feel the heat.

The scene in Malappuram district is even more alarming. The number of covid patients is increasing at an alarming rate. Ponnani taluk has been the worst hit. So bad is the situation that a triple lockdown has been clamped on the taluk, and the administration has started undertaking house-to-house covid checking.

The situation in Ponnani turned worse after two doctors and three nurses working in two local hospitals tested positive. Since then, more than 700 people have been affected. The only silver lining so far has been that more than 350 people out of the over 700 have tested negative. But it is not the time to heave a sigh of relief. The result of the remaining people are yet to come. The district administration is hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

The latest district where the situation has taken a turn for the worse is Ernakulam. What is worrying the authorities the most is the alarming rise in the number of people getting infected - 16 so far - through contacts. The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the fact that the Ernakulam main market has been closed.

In a positive development, the government has decided – rightly so – to double the testing. It would have been better if this had been done a bit earlier. But better late than never. This was the Opposition’s main point of criticism against the Pinarayi government.

The coming days could prove really tough for the government. The reason: more flights are set to bring Indians from abroad, including from America and Britain.

Unless the situation improves, the state’s hospitals, doctors, nurses and other health staff could come under tremendous pressure. If the surge in the number of patients of the past fortnight is anything to go by, the outlook is grim. The last two weeks have witnessed more than 100 patients every single day. The biggest spike - 211 - came on Friday.

The trend, needless to say, is ominous. The time is for utmost vigil and undivided focus. The Opposition must resist the temptation to play politics over covid. The BJP, in particular, must change its ways. The party is doing in the state exactly what it is accusing the Congress of doing at the national level: politicizing the fight against covid. Are the BJP leaders and Congress bigwigs listening? (IPA Service)