The COVID-19 caseload in the district took a massive leap with 562 people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Tuesday.
The significant increase was recorded when testing nearly tripled as 523 swab samples were collected on the day. Going by official statistics, only 197 samples were sent for examination on Monday.
Barring the lone instance of a 58-year-old Kanyakumari native who tested positive after arriving from another State, almost all fresh cases have been attributed to local transmission. These included 19 health-care workers and 35 cases with unknown source of infection.
The district’s COVID-19 death toll also rose to 121 with four more deaths — those of natives of Chenkal (89 year old), Parassala (55), Anchalummoodu (66) and Mulayara (44) — being attributed to the disease.
As many as 389 who were undergoing treatment tested negative for the infection on the day. The district now has 4,750 active cases.
The pandemic spread continued unabated in high-range areas with nine more people being diagnosed with COVID-19 in Kallikkad when 46 people were tested on Tuesday. In all, 252 people contracted the infection in the grama panchayat. Among these, there are 75 active cases.
Health workers
Several health-care workers of a private hospital at Kilimanoor went into quarantine after a doctor of the surgery department tested positive.
The doctor, who has been admitted to a private hospital in the State capital, is known to have examined nearly 50 people in the outpatient wing and conducted surgery on five patients in the past week.
Various places in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation have been declared as containment zones. These included Vyasa Nagar in Kesavadasapuram ward, Ambedkar Nagar in Sreekaryam ward, Prasanth Nagar, Neerazhi Lane and Panayil in Ulloor ward, MLA Road in Thrikkannapuram ward, Odanvazhi in Thirumala ward, PG residents association in Perunthanni ward, Aduppukottanpara in Thuruthummoola ward, Perekkonam, Sathyan Nagar, Chavinchi vila and Malamel kunnu in Estate ward, Ayithadi and Pulayanarkotta in Akkulam ward and Punchakari ward.
Restrictions have also been imposed in Mulakkottukara in Vithura grama panchayat, Edamonnila in Navaikulam grama panchayat, Thettichira and Panchayat Office wards in Azhoor grama panchayat, and Malackkal and Panappamkunnu in Kilimanoor grama panchayat.
Curbs lifted
The district administration has removed Madanvila and Kottaramthuruthu in Azhoor grama panchayat; Lourdepuram in Kanjiramkulam grama panchayat; Panakkadu, Mullaravila, Thozhikkal, Vazhuthoor, Irumbil, Narayanapuram, Amaravila and Alummoodu in Neyyattinkara grama panchayat; Mekkola, Dhanuvachapuram and Puthusserymadam in Kollayil grama panchayat; Keezharoor, Kavalloor, Pasuvannara in Aryancode grama panchayat; Mudiyottukonam (Nellikkunnu area) in Karavaram grama panchayat; Karichara in Andoorkonam grama panchayat; and Arattukuzhy, Vellarada, Anchumarankala, Kiliyoor, Manoor, Ponnambi and Panchauzhy in Vellarada grama panchayat from the list of containment zones.
Directive to ambulances
Meanwhile, District Collector Navjot Khosa has directed the operators of all government and private palliative care ambulances to register on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal.
Besides, all ambulance drivers must download the COVID-19 Jagratha application on their mobile phones.
