The district witnessed a jump in COVID-19 cases on Friday with 57 persons testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Increase in cases of local transmission and cases with unknown source of infection is a matter of concern in several parts of the district. Of the new patients, at least 40 contracted the disease through local transmission. The source of infection of three others remains unknown.
According to officials, five COVID-19 clusters have been identified in the district at Kayamkulam, Kuruthikkad, Nooranad, Pallithode and Ezhupunna.
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District Collector A. Alexander said that more COVID-19 first-line treatment centres would be set up and 1,000 beds would be set up in coastal areas alone.
Ezhupunna cluster
The Ezhupunna cluster continued to widen with 23 more people on the contact list of an employee of a seafood factory there, who was diagnosed with the disease earlier, testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Of the 23 persons, 15 hail from Ezhupunna, two from Cherthala and one each from Kadakarappally, Panavally, Chandiroor, Vayalar, Kodamthuruthu and Pattanakkad.
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Thirteen patients, including seven from Kuthiathode, four from Thuravoor and two from Ambalappuzha are on the contact lists of COVID-19 patients associated with the Chellanam harbour. Two persons hailing from Pallithode on the contact list of a COVID-19 patient from Pallithode, a 53-year-old man from Perumbalam on the contact list of a COVID-19 patient from the same place and a 52-year-old woman from Alappuzha who is an employee of a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram also contracted the disease through contact.
Unknown source
Source of infection of a 34-year-old fisherman from Kadakarappally who works in the fishing sector in Fort Kochi, a 27-year-old pregnant woman from Kadakarappally and a 19-year-old woman from Andhakaranazhi remains unknown.
Besides, one more staffer of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police unit at Nooranad unit was diagnosed with the disease.
The District Collector has declared all wards in Thrikkunnappuzha and ward 1, 2 and 18 in Amabalappuzha North grama panchayats as containment zones.