Restrictions will have to be extended in Kozhikode district even after the lockdown period ends on April 15 as it has been declared one of the hotspots where possibility of COVID-19 transmission is high, Labour and Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan has said.
At a review meeting here on Thursday, Mr. Ramakrishnan said certain categories had been exempted from the restrictions as of now. The next State Cabinet would discuss the regulations to be implemented after the lockdown, he said.
Mr. Ramakrishnan directed the police to step up surveillance in the border areas near Mahe and Wayanad through which people were entering the district from Karnataka by foot. He also told the police to take action against those who unnecessarily venture out of their homes and converge in large numbers.
The Minister said steps had been taken to use ventilators from private hospitals if there was a shortage for them at the Government Medical College Hospital here.
Removed from list
Thursday witnessed 650 persons being removed from the surveillance list in Kozhikode district. With this, 19,399 people are under surveillance now, including 26 at the isolation ward of the Government Medical College Hospital. Six persons were discharged on Thursday and a total of 3, 274 have so far completed the observation cycle.
No new SARS-CoV-2 positive cases were reported for the fourth consecutive day.
Of the 442 body fluid samples sent for lab tests so far, 393 are negative. The results of 34 samples are awaited.
Dengue, jaundice alert
Meanwhile, the Health Department has sounded an alert against dengue fever and jaundice in Kozhikode in the wake of cases being reported from various parts of the district.
In a release, District Medical Officer V. Jayasree said on Thursday that aedes mosquitoes spread dengue fever and sources of their breeding should be destroyed. Aedes mosquitoes normally breed in clean water.
Health department staff pointed out that the summer rain being reported from many places recently might have led to hatching of mosquito eggs in waste materials, coconut shells, toys and tyres dumped in public places.
Those who have jaundice symptoms have been asked to be at home and avoid interaction with others. Insistence on personal hygiene and cleaning of one’s own premises along with ensuring the quality of vegetables, fruits and drinking water would help prevent the infection.