Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the COVID-19 situation in the capital district remains critical with even areas that have been largely unaffected on the verge of becoming clusters.
Briefing media persons, Mr Vijayan said the test positivity rate in Thiruvananthauram was far higher than the State average. One in every 18 people who were subjected to tests was diagnosed with the infection, while the corresponding ratio in the State was 1:36 and the national average was 1:12, he said.
Elaborating on the containment efforts that were undertaken in the district, the Chief Minister said surveillance measures were intensified soon after the first COVID-19 cluster was confirmed to have developed at Poonthura on July 5. Subsequently, clusters were formed in Beemapally and Pulluvila by July 15.
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More clusters soon came up in the coastal areas of Valiyathura, Anjuthengu, Chirayinkeezhu, Kulathoor in Neyyattinkara, Panavoor, Kadakkavoor, Perumathura and Puthukurichy. Besides, other places including Parassala, Kunnathukal, Pattom, Perunkadavila, Balaramapuram and Kattakada were also showing an increased prevalence of the disease. Surveillance, testing and sensitisation had been intensified in these areas, Mr. Vijayan said.
According to him, 39,809 routine RT-PCR tests and 6,983 pooled sentinel tests were undertaken in the district. Since the first test in July 4, the district had witnessed 24,823 rapid antigen tests being undertaken. Mr. Vijayan added that 35 teams were currently deployed to the clusters. Each team was being equipped with 50 antigen kits on a daily basis. Squads conducting sentinel surveillance were also provided 300 antigen kits each.