Transportation of vegetables and fruits to many parts of Kozhikode district is likely to be affected in the coming days with the Kozhikode Corporation on Wednesday deciding to shut down the Palayam market where 233 people were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Four deaths were reported from the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Tuesday and Wednesday. While a 60-year-old man from Koothuparamba in Kannur died on Tuesday, a 65-year-old man from Thiruvambady in Kozhikode, a 72-year-old man from Velimukku and a 74-year-woman from Kunnamangalam, both in Malappuram, died on Wednesday.
Palayam market is a major centre for wholesale as well as retail trade of vegetables and fruits in the district and areas in adjacent districts as well. Corporation sources claimed that the new cases of infection were revealed after antigen tests were conducted on 760 people. Most of the infected are vegetable vendors, pushcart vendors, and loading and unloading employees. Binu Francis, Corporation Secretary, said in an order that being a crowded area, the functioning of the market place would pose a threat to public health. The Central Market or Valiyangadi, the major market in the city, was closed down recently after over hundred people were tested positive for the virus there.
New cases
Meanwhile, the District Medical officer said in a release that 504 people were found newly infected in the district on Wednesday. As many as 452 of them got the infection through local transmission. Source was unknown in 37 cases. Twelve persons had returned from other States and three from abroad. There are 15 health workers among the newly infected persons. With 427 people recovering from the infection, the number of active cases from the district stood at 4,156. Health Department officials claimed that the daily tests had crossed 7,000-mark in the district now. Most of them are carried out in clusters and critical containment zones where a large number of people are being tested positive for the virus. A large number of tests were held at fish markets, fishing harbours, wards in the coastal zones, and at Palayam, they added.
In Malappuram
For the second time within a week, the number of daily COVID-19 cases crossed 500 in Malappuram on Wednesday. As many as 512 people tested positive for the virus in the district while 372 recovered from the disease.
As many as 465 of the new cases were found to have been infected through direct local contacts. There were 20 cases in which the source of infection could not be identified.
While 11 cases came from abroad, one came from another State. There were 15 health workers among the new cases.
The number of active cases in Malappuram shot up to 3,474. However, the number of people in quarantine came down to 29,586.
In Thrissur
As many as 478 COVID-19 cases were reported in Thrissur on Wednesday, the highest number of cases ever reported in the district. Of these, 476 are local transmission cases. The source of infection of 11 people could not be traced. There are now 3,278 people under treatment for the disease at various hospitals.
Home isolation
A review meeting convened by Minister for Local Self-Government A.C. Moideen here on Wednesday decided to focus on home isolation of patients.
People under home isolation will be given home kits, including homoeo medicines and vitamin tablets. At present, there are 1,000 patients under home isolation in the district.
The Minister asked officials concerned to form a COVID monitoring team at panchayat level to arrange necessary facilities for people under home isolation.
In Kannur
As many as 365 more persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kannur on Wednesday. Among them, 322 contracted the disease through local transmission. Twenty-one health workers were among the infected. The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the district so far is 8,630. As many as 5,295 people have also recovered from the disease.
In Palakkad
In Palakkad, 278 people tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. While 204 of them got the infection through direct local contacts, four came from other States and two from abroad. The source of infection could not be traced in 68 cases.
In Kasaragod
Kasaragod district saw 136 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. Of these, 128 are local transmission cases. The district also reported 310 recoveries on the day. There are now 4,062 people under observation. Out of these, 2,949 persons are in home quarantine and 1,113 are in different institutions.
In Wayanad
A total of 59 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Wayanad district on Wednesday. Of these, 56 people were infected through contact and the other three persons had returned from outside the State. The district also reported 31 recoveries on Wednesday. The district has so far reported 2,774 cases. Of these, 2,091 have recovered. There are now 3,006 people under observation.
(With inputs from Malappuram, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kannur, Kasaragod, and Wayanad bureaus)
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