Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala recorded 272 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest single-day count reported from the state since the first case was reported on January 30.
What is more alarming is the spike in the number of infections through contact - 68. Of this, the source of infection of 15 people are yet to be ascertained.
Majority of the locally transmitted cases are from Thiruvananthapuram – 42. While 11 such cases reported in Ernakulam and Malappuram, Alappuzha recorded three cases and Palakkad one.
During his sunset briefing, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state recorded 111 recoveries on Tuesday.
With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the State has gone up to 5,894.
A total of 2,411 people are presently under treatment for the infection, while 3,452 patients cured of the disease. Two patients, one from West Bengal and the other from Tamil Nadu, returned home on Tuesday. The former was admitted in a hospital in Alappuzha and the other was in Pathanamthitta.
Of the positive cases today, 157 infected people came from abroad, while 38 came from other states. Seven health workers are also among the infected. Five of them are from Thiruvananthapuram and one each from Malappuram and Pathanamthitta.
Apart from this, one CISF jawan and Defence Security Corps (DSC) personnel in Kannur also tested positive on Tuesday.
District–wise breakup of today's positive cases:
Malappuram – 63
Thiruvananthapuram – 54
Palakkad – 29
Ernakulam – 21
Kannur – 19
Alappuzha – 18
Kozhikode – 15
Kasaragod – 13
Pathanamthitta – 12
Kollam – 11
Thrissur – 10
Kottayam – 3
Wayanad – 3
Idukki – 1
Today's recoveries:
Palakkad – 23
Ernakulam – 20
Pathanamthitta – 19
Malappuram – 10
Kannur – 9
Kollam – 6
Thrissur – 6
Kozhikode – 6
Alappuzha – 4
Thiruvananthapuram – 3
Wayanad – 3
Kottayam – 1
Idukki – 1
The split-up of those from other countries: Saudi Arabia - 76, UAE - 26, Qatar - 21, Kuwait - 13, Oman - 13, Bahrain - 5, Kyrgyzstan - 1, Nigeria - 1, South Africa - 1.
Break-up of those came from other states: Karnataka - 13, Tamil Nadu - 7, Maharashtra - 4, Delhi - 4, Telangana - 4, Uttar Pradesh - 2, West Bengal - 1, Chhattisgarh - 1, Andhra Pradesh - 1, Punjab - 1.
Nearly five lakh people entered the state since the lockdown was imposed in March. Of this, 62.88 per cent came from other states. Of them, 65 per cent came from red zones.
Malappuram has the most number of returnees while Wayanad has the least. The highest number of returnees are from Tamil Nadu - 97,570, followed by Karnataka - 88,031. These two states account for 75 per cent of the returnees.
Most number of returnees who tested COVID-19 positive in the state came from Maharashtra.
Eighteen more regions have been converted into hot spots. There are currently 169 hotspots in the state.
Meanwhile, a Dubai returnee, who was in home quarantine at Puthoor in Kollam district, found dead on Tuesday. His sample was turned positive for coronavirus in TrueNAT test.
However, the actual cause of death will be determined only after receiving test results from the virology institute in Alappuzha, the officials said.
The 24-year-old Thevalapuram native, Manoj, came to Kerala from Dubai on July 1. He was then put under quarantine along with his friends at a house in Puthoor.
In another incident, a 28-year-old woman in home quarantine committed suicide. Mary Mayasa, a native of Puthumala in Pathanamthitta, arrived at her native place from Thanjavoor on June 27. She had been undergoing mandatory home quarantine since then.
Ponnani police station shut
Active cases in Malappuram rose to 353 as 63 more people tested positive in the day. Of the fresh cases, 11 contracted the disease through contact. The remaining 52 are imported cases.
Of the 11 contact cases, the sources of just two cases have been identified, as per preliminary information from authorities. An 85-year-old woman of Cheeran Kadappuram contracted the virus from a person who tested positive on June 22. A native of Ponnani in the contact list of a doctor of Sukapuram hospital, who tested positive on June 28, have also contracted the virus.
Cases whose source of infection have not been identified are - the medical officer of Vattamkulam Primary Health Centre (native of Kuttipuram), a civil police officer of Ponnani, a lottery vendor of Alamkode, an ananwadi worker at Vattamkulam, a junior health nurse of Ponnani Primary Health Centre (native of Thiruvananthapuram) and two councillors of Ponnani municipality (natives of Karuvanthuruthi and Kuttikad).
It has been decided to shut down the Ponnani police station after the cop tested positive. Forty-seven police personnel, including a sub-inspector, have gone in quarantine. The policeman was tested positive in antigen test.
11 contact cases in Ernakulam
Ernakulam also reported 11 contact cases among the 21 cases detected on Tuesday. The contact cases include: A 60-year-old native of Thoppumpady who came in contact with a patient tested positive on July 1, a family member (30) of the Piravom natives tested positive on July 3, a lose relative (52) of the Kadavanthra native tested positive on July 4, two family members (8, 61) and an auto driver (45) at Chellanam who were in the contact list of a patient in Chellanam, two family members (45, 19) of a Keezhmad native tested positive on July 6 and a close relative (6) of a Paravur native tested positive on July 4).
A 35-year-old worker at Aluva market, who is a native of Choornikkara, and a 38-year-old journalist at Alangad have also tested positive. Their sources of infection have not been identified.
Of the remaining 10 cases, nine are returnees from abroad and one is from Bengaluru.
Twenty-nine cases were confirmed in Palakkad. There is only one contact case among them - a 62-year-old native of Kozhinjampara. His wife who returned from Qatar had tested positive on July 1.
The remaining 28 cases are imported ones - 20 from abroad and eight from other states.
Other districts
Eighteen people, including four ITBP personnel stationed at Nooranad camp, tested positive in Alappuzha district on Tuesday. Three of them contracted the virus through contact. Remaining 11 cases are imported ones – seven from abroad and four from other states.
The three contact cases include a worker at the Kayamkulam market and a friend of a fish vendor in the city, who tested positive earlier. Following the development, Alappuzha District Collector urged people in Kayamkulam to stay vigilant and practice social distancing norms.
In Pathanamthitta, 12 people, including a doctor, tested positive on Tuesday. The doctor's source of infection is yet to be determined.
Fifteen people tested positive for the virus in Kozhikode on Tuesday, while four cured of the disease. 14 of them came from Gulf countries, the district administration said.
Key points from CM's media briefing:
• Government focuses on strengthening prevention and containment measures in cities. The cities became the centres of infections across the country, and Kerala is no different. There are many who commute between cities and other regions in the state. This poses a high risk of spreading the disease from the densely populated cities to villages. Strict measures will be taken to prevent this.
• The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Kochi is higher than the state average. The number of daily tests will be increased there.
• Strict adherence to measures that fall under the 'Break The Chain' campaign directives could help in easing the strict lockdown measures imposed in zones with a high rate of infection.
• Top police officers will pay surprise visits to the homes of those under quarantine.
• Measures will be taken to prevent discarding of masks and PPE materials in airports and public places.
• The spread of disease among paramilitary staff is a matter of concern. 66 CISF personnel and 23 Indian Army personnel have tested positive in the state. Measures will be taken to ensure assistance and treatment to them.
• The migrant workers who return to Kerala from other states should undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine. The contractors and agents who bring them to the state are responsible to make arrangements for this. Action will be taken against them upon failure to ensure it.
• State is yet to reach the community transmission stage.
• There is concern for state's coastal regions which are densely populated. It is important to prevent outbreaks in such areas since it could easily get out of hand.
• Those who have recovered from the disease should stay at home for 7 more days after testing negative. Their family and local body members should ensure this.
