The number of COVID-19 cases in Kasaragod district continued to rise with 10 more people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Thursday.

With this, the total number of positive cases recorded in the district stands at 191. As many as 177 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospitals. However, more cases are emerging with Keralites stranded in other States and abroad returning to the State.

4 of family infected

According to the Health Department, four members of a family — a 50-year-old man, who is a driver, his 35-year-old wife, and their eleven and eight-year-old children — tested positive for the virus on Thursday. The driver reportedly contracted the disease from a resident of Paivalike, who had returned from Maharashtra on May 4 and was tested positive on May 11. The driver had given him a lift in his car from the Talapady check-post.

The driver had also visited the Kanhangad district hospital three times during the period and had entered the hospital’s cancer ward, lab, and X-ray room. Those who tested positive for the disease on Thursday include a staff member of Kasaragod General Hospital and another at the Kanhangad district hospital.

A 65-year-old man from Kasaragod municipality has also been diagnosed with the disease. He was residing at Manjeri in Malappuram district for more than a month. He reached Kasaragod in an ambulance which was coming from Kottayam to Talapady. He was rushed to the General Hospital following a lung infection.

Another person diagnosed with the disease is a 26-year-old Kallar resident who hails from Bangalore. He was under observation at Poodamkallu Taluk Hospital. On May 12, he suffered chest pain and was later sent to the district hospital, where samples were taken for a swab test. Two other patients, aged 58 and 31, hailing from Kumbala, returned to the district from Maharashtra.

The 58-year-old Kumbala resident is suffering from heart disease and has severe diabetes. He is being treated at the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital at Pariyaram.

1,428 under observation

Meanwhile, there are 1,428 people in the district under observation. Of them, 1,211 are under home observation, while 217 are in hospitals. As many as 35 persons have been admitted to the isolation ward on Thursday.

Kasaragod District Collector D. Sajith Babu said the public should be more cautious as the district witnessed an increase in COVID-19 cases among inter-State travellers.

Families and vigilance committees should ensure that people who had returned from other States stayed in their rooms or houses. District Medical Officer A.V. Ramdas said if people had COVID-19 symptoms they should inform health workers immediately.

In Kannur

In Kannur, two more people have been tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Thursday.

A 20-year-old man from Kadambur, who returned from Dubai by an Air India flight and landed at the Kannur airport on May 12, and a 24-year-old man from Mattannur, who arrived from Chennai on May 6, have contracted the disease. The two patients, who underwent a swab examination on May 12, are under treatment at COVID-19 Care Hospital at Anjarakandy.

With this, the number of COVID-19 positive cases reported in the district has reached 121. Of these, 116 patients were discharged from hospitals.