Capital tally is 274 cases

Infection through contact accounts for 250 cases

The daily COVID-19 caseload in the district remained high on Wednesday also with 274 new cases being reported. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has indicated the need for heightened vigil in parts of the district that could witness a spurt in cases.

Of Wednesday’s caseload, infection through contact accounted for 250 cases, according to statistics released on Wednesday evening. The source of infection remained uncertain in 14 cases. As many as 528 people tested negative.

Looming risk

There is a possibility of the limited COVID-19 clusters in Kallikkadu, Vellarada, and Neyattinkara municipality expanding into large community clusters, the Chief Minister said. Preventive measures had been strengthened in all the three places, he said.

Anchuthengu reported 35 cases on Wednesday while 20 people tested positive in Poovar. Parassala reported 12 cases, while ten people each tested positive at Karode and Vallakkadavu.

Nine Tamil Nadu natives also tested positive for the virus on Wednesday in the district.

Continued caution

Although the pace of disease transmission has slowed down in Poonthura and Vizhinjam, both coastal areas are yet to exit the danger zone, according to the Chief Minister. Of the 2,011 tests conducted in the large community clusters in the district, 203 had returned positive.

Meanwhile, 2,101 people were placed under disease surveillance on Wednesday, even as 1,898 others completed the observation period without developing symptoms. As on Wednesday, 18,040 people are under surveillance in the district. Of this, 14,344 people are in home quarantine while 2,884 people are hospitalised. COVID care centres accommodate 812 people.

For ensuring prompt services to patients, the district administration has allotted five additional ambulances to each taluk. More ambulances would be deployed if needed, the administration said. District Collector Navjot Khosa convened a meeting of the transportation and ambulance teams on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to step up monitoring of COVID-19 regulations in areas outside containment zones.

The Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat has handed over 5,000 PPE kits and 5,000 antigen test kits to health workers.