Thiruvananthapuram: The number of COVID-19 cases in Kerala crossed the 20,000-mark on Tuesday with the state recording yet another highest single day spike of 1,167 cases, taking the total number of cases to 20,894.
The state also registered over 679 recoveries on Tuesday.
So far, 10,724 people recovered from the disease, while 10,093 patients are still under treatment in various hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed. This is the first time that the number of patients under treatment at a time is surpassing 10,000-mark.
The single-day case count had crossed the 1000-mark four times in the past week with 1,103 cases on Saturday (July 25), 1,078 on Thursday (July 23) and 1,038 on Wednesday (July 22).
From when the first case was confirmed in the state on January 30, 2020, it took 168 days, or five-and-a-half months to reach the 10k-mark on July 16. However, it took only 12 more days to cross 20,000 cases.
Local transmission continues
Local transmission of COVID-19 continues unabated as 888 people of the newly reported cases contracted the virus through contact. Of this, 55 people's source of infection is unknown, the chief minister said.
Apart from this, 33 healthcare workers also contracted the virus – 18 from Thiruvananthapuram, three each from Kottayam, Malappuram and Kannur, two each from Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam, one each from Kollam and Kasaragod districts. While 122 people came from abroad, 96 came from other states.
Eleven KSE employees, nine KLF workers, one BSF jawan (all from Thrissur district) and seven workers of Malabar Trading Company in Wayanad district also tested positive on Tuesday.
Four more deaths
The chief minister also confirmed four more deaths on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Alappuzha native Sainudheen (65), Ernakulam native Abubakar (72), Kasaragod native Abdul Rahman (70) and Thiruvananthapuram native Selvamani (65).
The official toll now stands at 67.
Meanwhile, rejecting claims about the veracity of the state's COVID-19 toll, Pinarayi Vijayan said: "There are WHO guidelines to register a death of a COVID patient and that are being followed. It must be noted that all deaths are not COVID deaths and also even if a coronavirus positive patient dies, it need not be registered under death due to COVID. We are following the proper guidelines."
District-wise breakup of today's positive cases:
Thiruvananthapuram – 222 (contact cases – 199)
Kottayam – 118 (contact cases –113)
Malappuram – 112 (contact cases – 88)
Thrissur – 109 (contact cases – 58)
Kollam – 95 (contact cases –77)
Palakkad – 86 (contact cases – 36)
Alappuzha – 84 (contact cases – 64)
Ernakulam – 70 (contact cases – 61)
Kozhikode – 67 (contact cases – 50)
Pathanamthitta – 63 (contact cases – 36)
Wayanad – 53 (contact cases – 42)
Kannur – 43 (contact cases – 21)
Kasaragod – 38 (contact cases – 36)
Idukki – 7 (contact cases – 7)
Today's recoveries:
Thiruvananthapuram – 170
Ernakulam – 83
Alappuzha – 80
Kollam – 70
Thrissur – 45
Palakkad – 40
Kasaragod – 36
Malappuram – 34
Pathanamthitta – 28
Idukki – 27
Kottayam – 20
Wayanad – 18
Kannur – 15
Kozhikode – 13
From districts
While Thiruvananthapuram reported 222 cases, three other districts - Kottayam, Malappuram and Thrissur - recorded over 100 cases. Terming the situation in the state capital as critical, the chief minister said the district has turned into a coronavirus hotspot.
Of the 222 new cases, 199 people contracted the virus through contact.
As many as 300 people underwent tests at the KINFRA park in Thiruvananthapuram. 88 of them turned to be positive, he said.
Noting that while the national average of the test positivity ratio stands at 12:1, or that out of every 12 tested, one turning out positive, Vijayan said that in Kerala, it stands at 36:1, while in Thiruvananthapuram, it is 18:1. "The first cluster in the district was registered on July 5 and by the 15th, there were more," he added.
As many as 118 people tested positive in Kottayam on Tuesday. This is the first time the district reported cases in three digits. Of the 118, 115 patients contracted the disease through contact. Two female doctors and a nurse of Kottayam Medical College Hospital are among those tested positive.
Of the contact cases, 45 people are workers of vegetable market in Ettumanoor. Seven members of a family, who were in the contact list of a patient in Parathode panchayat, also tested positive.
In Malappuram, 112 people tested positive. Of them, 92 are contact cases. Source has not been identified in 42 cases. Twenty-two people who were associated with the Kondotty fish market have tested positive.
In Thrissur, 109 cases were confirmed. The Sakthan market was closed after two workers there tested positive. Of the 95 people tested positive in Kollam, 78 are contact cases.
Eighty-six cases were confirmed in Palakkad, including four without identified source of infection. Twenty people tested positive in and around Pattambi.
Of the 84 cases in Alappuzha, 62 are contact cases. Source of infection is not known in cases of a 75-year-old woman of Nooranad and a 28-year-old woman of Panavalli.
Forty-three contact cases are among the 67 reported in Kozhikode. Source of infection is not known in eight cases.
Of the 70 cases in Ernakulam, 64 contracted the virus through contact. The patients include two health workers.
Sixty-three cases were confirmed in Pathanamthitta. Of them, 36 are contact cases. There are five health workers, including two ASHA workers, among them. Seven people from Kuttappuzha, who had connection with the Payippad cluster in Kottayam, also tested positive.
Of the 53 cases reported in Wayanad, 49 are contact cases. Of the 49 cases, seven people were in the contact list of those tested positive in a shop at Bathery. The remaining 42 were in the contact list of patients who attended a marriage and a funeral. Forty of them are natives of Thavinjal, Valad.
In Kannur, 43 more cases were reported. Of them, 25, including four health workers, contracted the disease through contact.
All the 38 cases reported in Kasaragod are contact cases. Of them, source of infection has not been traced in seven cases.
Idukki is the only district where single-digit cases were reported on Tuesday. All the seven cases are contact cases. Three people working at Kumily check-post are among those tested positive. Source of infection is not known in case of a youth in Kattappana.
Testing and quarantine
Of the 1,50,716 people under observation for suspected infection, 1,40,898 are home/institutional quarantined and 9,818 hospitalised. As many as 1,343 people were hospitalised since Monday.
In last 24 hours, 19,140 samples were tested. In total, 7,09,348 samples (including routine, airport survillence, pooled sentinel, CBNAAT, TrueNAT, CLIA and antigen assay) were sent for testing. Of this, results of 6,596 samples are yet to be returned. Out of the 1,16,418 samples collected as part of sentinel surveillance, 1,13,073 samples were negative.
17 new places were designated as hotspots on Tuesday, while 25 LSGs were excluded from the list. The state presently has 486 hotspots.
Key points from CM's press meet:
• In India, for every 12 people tested, 1 is positive. In Kerala, however, it is for every 36 people tested that one positive case is found. In Thiruvananthapuram, though, that is not the case. Cases are spreading rapidly here, the chief minister said.
• One out of 18 tested is positive in Thiruvananthapuram.
• In Kottayam, Ettumanoor reported the most cases. On Monday, of the 67 people who underwent antigen tests, 45 tested COVID positive. There were all asymptomatic. A special cluster has been identified here. it includes all wards except 4,27.
• After 3 health workers tested positive in the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, COVID-19 testing is being conducted on all health workers of the district.
• Eight people who attended a funeral in Wayanad panchayat tested positive. After tests were done here, of 98 people 43 too tested COVID positive. A special cluster has since been identified here. Wayanad's Bathery is likely to become a large cluster soon.
• In Kannur, as part of efforts to curb COVID-19, all gatherings must be suspended. 47 healthcare workers have been tested positive in the district.
• The allegations that testing in Kerala has stalled is incorrect. In fact, we have increased the number of tests that we do, thanks in part to the selfless efforts of our healthcare workers, the chief minister said.
• 7,012 routine sample tests were conducted on Monday.
• We have ramped up our efforts to spread awareness and intensified the testing in coastal areas to curb the spread of coronavirus, the chief minister said.
• CM dissuaded few factions from any efforts that hamper the morale of healthcare workers during this crucial period.
• Maintain social distance, wear masks must be followed diligently and without fail.
• On the occasion of Eid, only 100 are to be accommodated in mosques. In the case of mosques with not enough space, the number would be even less. Maintain social distance at all times, the chief minister urged.
• Anyone who spread fake news during this time of crisis will be dealt harshly. Kerala Police's Cyber Cell will take action against the culprits.
• Cases have been registered against seven for violating quarantine norms.
