The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ernakulam has soared to an all-time high of 3,980 on Wednesday. The test positivity rate is 23.74%.
This is the second consecutive day that the district is reporting over 3,000 new cases and the day’s figure is the highest for any district in the State. A total of 16,759 samples were collected for testing.
The district’s active caseload is at 21,855. The figure has risen by about six times over the past two weeks, when compared with the figure of 3,383 people under treatment in the district on April 7.
Thrikkakara continues to report the maximum number of daily cases, with 173 people testing positive on Wednesday. This is followed by Thripunithura, where 119 people were infected, and Varapuzha where 108 people have tested positive. Vazhakulam recorded 101 new cases, while Cheranalloor saw 95 infections. Within Kochi Corporation limits, Palluruthy recorded 94 new cases, followed by Vyttila where 65 people tested positive, and Fort Kochi with 59 newly infected persons. Two health workers have also tested positive.
While 700 people tested negative on Wednesday, 50,523 people remain in quarantine. Fresh admissions to hospitals and other treatment centres stood at 186 on the day and 75 people were discharged.
A majority of people (16,229) recovering from the infection remain at home, while 986 patients are admitted at private hospitals. At the Government Medical College Hospital and PVS Hospital, where critically ill patients are admitted, 49 and 50 patients are recovering respectively. At other government hospitals, 115 people are admitted, 71 patients are at INHS Sanjivani, and 130 are at the CIAL COVID treatment centres. At first and second-line treatment centres, 245 people are being monitored for the infection.
Till Tuesday, Ernakulam has cumulatively reported 1,51,898 cases of the infection, and 482 people have succumbed to it, going by figures from the State Health Department dashboard.
Mass testing
The district is continuing with the mass testing drive that was launched last week to detect cases quickly and cut the risk of transmission. The drive aims to test people in professions that require them to be in close contact with people and 12,000 swabs were collected as part of the mass campaign on Wednesday, said a release from the district administration. The district’s test positivity rate has been rising since tests have been geared towards people who are more susceptible towards contracting the infection, according to Dr. S. Sreedevi, District Surveillance Officer.
