After a brief lull, the number of COVID-19 cases has risen sharply in Thrissur. The district reported 83 new cases, the highest in the State on Thursday.
As many as 61 of them were infected through local contact. The source of infection is not known for two patients. Twenty-two patients arrived from abroad or other States.
While 12 were infected from the Kerala Solvent Extractions cluster in Irinjalakuda, seven were infected from the KLF Industries cluster. Fifteen people were infected from the Pattambi cluster.
There are 437 active cases in the district, with 68 persons testing negative on Thursday. In all, 12,524 people are under observation.
Meanwhile, the tahsildar at Thalappilly taluk office has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. He had conducted a party at his house a few days ago. The staff members at the taluk office and the people who attended his party have been asked to go into quarantine.
There is concern in Thrissur as more positive cases were reported from the Sakthan Thampuran market. A COVID-19 testing camp was conducted at Sakthan Nagar on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Kunnamkulam market will remain closed till further notice to check the spread of the disease. Seventeen wards and divisions were declared containment zones on Thursday.
In Kannur
Thirty-eight more people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Thursday.
District Collector T.V. Subhash said 23 of the infected are healthcare workers and four are police officers, while four people came from abroad and four from other States. Three people contracted the disease after coming into contact with COVID-19 patients. As many as 33 persons tested negative for the virus and were discharged from various hospitals and first-line treatment centres. The three cases of local transmission were reported from Payam, Padiyoor and Koothuparamba.
The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the district stands at 1,243. As many as 784 people have so far been discharged from hospitals after treatment. There are currently 12,300 people under observation in the district.
In Kasaragod
On Thursday, 28 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kasaragod.
While 21 are primary contacts of COVID-19 patients, the source of infection could not be traced for three persons from Pilicode, Kanhangad and Ajanur. Two persons came from abroad and two arrived from other States. As many as 3,638 people are under observation in the district.
The police have registered cases against 462 people in the district for not wearing a mask.
In Malappuram
Thirty-two persons tested positive in Malappuram district on Thursday. Thirty of them were found to have been infected through local transmission. The source of infection for nine of them could not be traced.
Twelve infected persons recovered in the district on Thursday. As many as 657 infected persons are currently under treatment in Malappuram. The total number of infections since March in Malappuram clocked 1,994. As many as 1,324 persons recovered, while 11 died.
In Palakkad
Four persons tested positive in Palakkad district on Thursday. Two of them had come from abroad.
The source of infection for one person could not be located. The fourth case was a man from Pathanamthitta. As many as 36 infected persons recovered from the disease.
There are 438 persons currently under treatment in Palakkad.
In Wayanad
Three persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Wayanad district on Thursday.
According to an official bulletin, two of the newly infected persons — a 66-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman at Valad in Thavinhal grama panchayat — are contacts of COVID-19 patients. A 30-year-old patient from Veliyambam in Pulpally grama panchayat had returned from abroad.
A total of 295 persons, including 17 on Thursday, have recovered in Wayanad.
As many as 2,596 persons are under observation in the district.
(With inputs from Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad and Wayanad bureaus)
