With the active COVID-19 case load remaining high in Kozhikode district in the past few weeks, the district administration is clamping restrictions in public places again to contain the infection.
According to media reports, Kozhikode is among the 13 districts across the country in terms of the highest number of infected persons.
The number of infected people from the district, which went below 6,000 in the first week of January, went beyond 8,000 in around three weeks. As on Tuesday, over 7,600 people from Kozhikode are either in home isolation or are undergoing treatment in government or private facilities. Around 200 people from other districts too are being treated here.
The daily test positivity rate (TPR), the number of people testing positive for the virus per hundred samples, has been high in the district too. Over the past few weeks, it has been between 8% and 13% on most days.
Easing of restrictions
The easing of restrictions, opening of schools and colleges and public places such as tourism spots, and a general sense of lethargy in the wake of the arrival of the Covishield vaccine have been cited as some of the reasons for the surge.
Large numbers of people are seen in places such as the Kozhikode beach and tourism spots like the Thusharagiri waterfalls. Though there is a restriction on children aged below 10 and senior citizens in public places, many people are openly flouting it and even families are visiting tourism spots like the Thusharagiri waterfalls.
Use of masks
Another issue is the non-use or improper use of face masks in public places. Social distancing norms are given the goby in crowded places as well.
Public events
Public events including political rallies and meetings, which were completely stopped in the wake of the pandemic, are slowly resurfacing. In the wake of this surge in infections, the Health Department is checking buildings to find out if people are crammed into them without proper space for air circulation.
Crowd control
Police officials are now being deployed to contain the infection in crowded places such as shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants and places of worship.
In Kozhikode city, police personnel were seen telling those who took along children in their vehicles not to repeat the act.
In the coming days, bringing children to public place may attract a fine of ₹2,000. This restriction is, however, not applicable to those seeking medical treatment in hospitals.
501 new cases
As many as 501 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kozhikode district on Tuesday. The daily test positivity rate was 10.77% when 4,651 samples were tested.
There were 750 recoveries on Tuesday. The District Medical Officer said in a release that there were 485 locally acquired infections and the source of 10 others was not known. Kozhikode Corporation accounted for 157 cases, Villiappally 36 and Vadakara 25. Five deaths were reported at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Monday, and another person died on January 30, according to a medical bulletin.
