Aswin J Kumar | TNN | Updated: Apr 6, 2020,

A Covid-19 patient walks out after being discharged from Kasaragod hospital.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala showed 84% recovery rate for the first 25 persons who were tested positive for Covid-19 in the state between March 9 and March 20, though the recovery rate is 17% for overall 314 cases so far since January 30 when the first Wuhan-returned case was reported.

As on Sunday morning, Maharashtra (35 cases) recorded 5.5% recovery rate and Delhi (18 cases) had a 4.04% recovery rate, but it is crucial to note that Maharashtra and Delhi, and several other states for that matter, recorded a steep spike in cases only over the past few days as a result of the Tablighi cluster and it’s too early to infer the recovery rate of these cases.

Interestingly, Maharashtra which recorded a high number of cases along with Kerala in March also recorded considerable recovery rate for the first series of cases, but Kerala has so far managed to avert a sudden spurt in cases and this is expected to help the state maintain the recovery rate it has attained so far, health officials said.

Of the 52 cases reported in Kannur till Saturday, 15 persons were tested negative and discharged. None of them had to be put in ICU. They were also mostly young persons with mild symptoms,” said Dr K Narayana Naik, district medical officer, Kannur. However, a 62-year-old woman from Kozhencherry who was tested positive on March 10 has endured the longest wait so far to test negative; She is still waiting to get her results positive although she doesn’t show any symptoms and her condition is stable at present, according to medical officials. Three other patients who were tested positive on March 16 and March19 are still awaiting negative results and their days of hospitalization are nearing 20.

In the case of the elderly couple from Ranni, it took nine tests before their samples were tested negative although they were cured much earlier. “In some cases virus may remain inactive for some period although the patient may have been cured, hence the results will be positive. In their case age was the main challenge still they were stable within the first ten days, but it took much longer to get their results negative. The first five results were positive although they were cured,” said Dr Sajith Kumar R, HOD Infectious disease department, MCH Kottayam.

Till Saturday, Kerala collected 9,744 samples for testing which is second in the country to Rajasthan. “ We go by a very clear treatment protocol which was readied after January. Our health have succeeded in creating a stress free environment and providing emotional anchor to patients. The recovery rate is due to extremely strict adherence to treatment protocols,” a senior health department official said.