Malappuram district saw the biggest spike of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks when 63 persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Tuesday. Twelve of them were found to have got the infection through local contacts.
All the 12 were found to be in Ponnani taluk, justifying the triple lockdown imposed in the area fearing a local spread after a few health workers, including two popular doctors, were tested positive at Edappal.
District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan said that 49 of the newly confirmed cases had returned from abroad and two from other States. The total number of infected persons currently under treatment in Malappuram rose to 349 on Tuesday.
Those who contracted the virus through local contacts were a 53-year-old Anganwadi worker at Vattamkulam, a 23-year-old man from Alankode, a 32-year-old lottery ticket vendor at Alankode, a 41-year-old councillor of Ponnani municipality, a 27-year-old junior health nurse at Ponnani primary health centre, a 36-year-old police officer at Ponnani, a 25-year-old municipal employee at Ponnani from Ezhavathuruthi, a 21-year-old COVID-19 care volunteer from Pallippuram, a 38-year-old fish vendor from Palappetty, a 38-year-old man from Ponnani, a 85-year-old woman from Cheerankadappuram, Tanur, and a 34-year-old medical officer at Vattamkulam primacy health centre.
District Medical Officer K. Sakeena asked those who had come into contact with the infected persons to go into home quarantine. They should also alert health officials. If they develop any symptoms, they should not approach a hospital directly. Instead, they should contact the district control room at 0483 2737858, 2737857, 2733251, 2733252, 2733253.
Dr. Sakeena said 1,734 persons had freshly entered quarantine on Tuesday. More than 39,000 persons were currently in quarantine in the district. As many as 35,919 were at their homes, 469 in hospitals, and 2,659 in COVID care centres.
In Palakkad
Twenty-nine persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Palakkad district. They included a 13-year-old boy from Olavakkod. However, 23 persons recovered from the infection on Tuesday.
The total number of infected persons currently under treatment in the district has risen to 176.
While one of the new cases was through local contact, the others were returnees from abroad and other States. Seven returned from other States and 21 came from abroad.
A 62-year-old man from Kozhinjampara apparently contracted the virus from his wife who returned from Qatar. She had tested positive on July 1. As many as 12,078 persons were under observation in the district. So far, 22,957 samples were collected for testing.
In Kannur
Kannur reported 19 more COVID-19 cases. Of the new cases, 12 returned from abroad and five came from other States. The other two are CISF and DSC personnel.
The infected are residents of Malapattam, Kottayam (Malabar), Kannur, Pariyaram, Mattannur, Pinarayi, Ezhom, Kollacheri, Panoor, Padiyur, Vengad, Panniyanur, Chembilode, Kangol and Koodali.
With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the district rose to 615. Of these, 346 were cured of the disease. As many as, 24,782 persons are under observation in the district.
In Kozhikode
Kozhikode reported 15 fresh COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row on Tuesday even as six others recovered from the infection in the district. The number of active cases now is 134.
Among the newly infected patients, there are three who landed at the Calicut International Airport from Riyadh on July 3. They were shifted to a COVID care centre in Malappuram after being tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during a rapid antibody test at the airport. They have now been shifted to the first-line treatment centre at the Lakshadweep Guest House. Two of them are from Koduvally and one is from Atholi.
A 25-year-old woman and her three-year-old daughter from Chelavoor who travelled from Riyadh and reached the Calicut airport on the same day too have been now declared infected though their rapid antibody test results had been negative. Their body fluid samples were collected after her husband was found to be infected and they were put under home quarantine. Both of them have now been shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital.
There are three others, from Kavilumpara, Kattippara and Mukkom, who returned from Saudi Arabia on the same day and landed at the Kannur International Airport. They too were tested positive for the virus during the rapid antibody test and were shifted to a COVID care centre there. They have now been shifted to the first-line treatment centre in Kozhikode. The other patients are from Chathamangalam, Kovoor, Meppayyur, Thiruvalloor, Kakkodi and Thamarassery. Those who recovered are from Vanimel, Purameri, Naduvannur, Ramanattukara, Omassery, and Wayanad.
In Kasaragod
As many as 13 persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kasaragod district on Tuesday. While eight of them arrived from abroad, five others, including a pregnant woman, returned from other States.
District Medical Officer A.V. Ramdas said those who came from abroad were residents of Kasaragod, Panathady, Kanhangad, Madhur, Chengala, Muliyar, Madhur and Mangalpady.
Those who came from other States were residents of Uduma, Chengala and Badiyaduka.
There are 7,037 persons under observation in the district.
In Thrissur
Ten fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Thrissur on Tuesday. All were returnees from abroad. So far, 505 cases have been reported in the district. In all 17,596 persons are under observation.
In Wayanad
Wayanad reported three more cases of COVID-19, taking the number of active cases in the district to 118.
A 40-year-old woman from Meenangadi who returned from Kuwait, a 28-year-old youth who came from Saudi Arabia and a 42-year-old man of Kenichira who returned from Hyderabad were the new patients.
Though the Kenichira patient had undergone treatment in Coimbatore and was discharged after being tested negative on June 20, he was tested positive again in Palakkad.
Of the 118 cases reported in the district so far, 75 have been cured.
Meanwhile, the district administration directed to close four shops after the route map of a 34-year-old patient from Madurai revealed that he had visited the shops on July 4 by violating quarantine norms. He was shifted to the District Hospital at Mananthavady on Sunday after being tested positive for the virus.
Containment zones
District Collector Adeela Abdulla has declared seven divisions of the Kalpetta Municipality as containment zones.
Divisions 5, 9, 11, 14, 15, 18 and 19 of the civic body were declared as containment zones following a person within the municipal area tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.
(With inputs from Palakkad, Kannur, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kasaragod, and Wayanad bureaus)
