Kerala recorded 85 new COVID-19 cases and 46 recoveries on Saturday.
Among the new cases, 53 infected persons came from abroad (Kuwait-21, UAE-165, Saudi-7, Oman-4, Nigeria-3, Russia-2) while 18 came from other states (Maharashtra-6, Tamil Nadu -5, Delhi-4, Rajasthan-1, West Bengal-1, Uttar Pradesh-1). Ten contracted the disease through contact.
The state has reported 2,387 COVID-19 cases so far, out of which 1,045 persons have recovered. The remaining 1,342 patients are being treated in various hospitals.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:
Malappuram - 15
Kannur - 14
Kozhikode - 12
Alappuzha - 9
Ernakulam - 7
Kasaragod - 9
Palakkad - 8
Idukki - 4
Thrissur - 4
Wayanad - 1
Kottayam - 1
Pathanamthitta - 1
With 15 more cases on Saturday, Malappuram continues to have the highest number of COVID patients in the state. The higher rate of infection seems to be natural provided the steady influx of returnees from abroad. Seven of the 15 cases are returnees – six from abroad and one from other state. However, what's worrying is the rise in the number of patients contracting the disease through contacts.
Eight patients who tested positive on Saturday have contracted the disease through contact – up from five on Friday and three on Thursday. Of the eight, four are healthcare workers – a matter of huge concern. The healthcare workers who tested positive are an ASHA worker hailing from Perumpuzha in Thennala panchayat, a junior health inspector from Athanickal, a Thiruveli native who works as a cleaning staffer at Manjeri Medical College, and a nurse at a 108 ambulance of Thirunnavaya panchayat. A driver of 108 ambulance at Karuvarakund and a woman civil defence volunteer who worked with the fire force at Perinthalmanna are also among those who tested positive.
A newborn girl at Chinackal, Munniyoor, has also tested positive. Her grandfather had tested positive on May 17. However, the baby was born only 10 days ago and highly unlikely to have come into contact with the grandfather.
There are 208 active cases in Malappuram.
Kannur reported 14 cases. Of them, a matter of concern is the infection of a KSRTC bus driver who had taken a group of students who returned from Tajikistan to Kollam. It is not clear whether he was quarantined following the trip or not.
Kozhikode is the third district which reported cases in two digits. Of them, eight are returnees from abroad and two from other states. A health worker posted in Malappuram and a youth who works at the Karipur International Airport have also tested positive.
All the nine cases reported in Alappuzha are returnees from abroad and other states. Seven came from abroad while two from other states. All of them had been quarantined.
In Ernakulam, seven more tested positive. Thy include two natives of Maharashtra and one from West Bengal. A three-and-a-half year old child who returned from Dubai on May 28 is among the infected. The child's mother was tested positive on June 3.
Of the nine cases in Kasaragod, seven returned from Gulf countries and two from Maharashtra. Eight cases were confirmed in Palakkad – all returnees. Three of them are undergoing treatment in Kannur, Malappuram and Ernakulam.
The lone case reported in Kottayam is a 12-year-old girl who returned from Mumbai on May 28. She had been home quarantined at Elikkulam. The test results of her parents who came with from Mumbai are awaited.
A five-year-old child is among those infected in Idukki. The child contracted the virus through contact with a youth who had tested positive in Kumily. A youth who returned from Mumbai and a couple from Saudi Arabia, aged 65 and 63, have also tested positive.
District-wise break-up of today's recoveries:
Kannur - 10
Palakkad - 9
Malappuram - 7
Kasaragod - 6
Thiruvananthapuram - 4
Thrissur - 3
Kottayam - 2
Kozhikode - 2
Pathanamthitta - 1
Idukki - 1
Wayanad - 1
A total of 2,35,418 people are under observation in various districts. Of these, 2,33,429 are under home-quarantine and 1,989 are in hospitals. On Saturday, 223 people were admitted to hospitals
As part of Sentinel Surveillance, 29,790samples were collected from priority groups, such as health workers, guest workers, social contacts. Of them, 27,899 have returned negative.
Two more regions have been converted into hot spots.
The new hot spots are Naduvil and Pappinisseri in Kannur district. Also, 13 places have been excluded from the list of leaving the number of hotspots in the state at 117. The excluded areas are: Ottapalam municipality, Malampuzha, Marutharoad, Nagalassery, Polpully, Kadampazhipuram, and Kottayi in Palakkad district; Malur, Peralassery, Pinarayi, Sreekantapuram, and Thalassery municipality in Kannur; as well as East Eleri in Kasaragod.
