With reports of more people contracting COVID-19 through contact with unknown sources, the district administration and Health Department are on high alert to prevent community spread of the disease.
On Thursday, following orders from District Collector T.V. Subhash, all shops and establishments were closed down and vehicles to Kannur town and Thaalikkavu, Payyambalam, and Kanathoor in the Corporation limits were diverted in the wake of a 14-year-old testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
The death of excise driver Sunil Kumar at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kannur, also put health authorities in overdrive. He had been hospitalised with severe pneumonia and respiratory problems.
In both these cases, the source of their infection is yet to be ascertained. Similarly, health officials are unable to trace the possible sources through which a pregnant tribal woman from Ayankunnu and two remand prisoners contracted the disease last month.
Adding to their concern is the case of another patient, who visited Kannur town for purchases.
Besides, several Kerala State Road Transport Corporation employees were put in quarantine after a driver of bus that ferried people who reached the Kannur airport visited the depot before his test results came out.
Primary contact
Health officials said 63 people had acquired the disease in the district through primary contact with patients so far. The Collector also declared more divisions in the Kannur Corporation as containment zones.
Total lockdown will be in place in divisions 5, 11, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53 until further orders.
Increased risk
In addition, the Collector announced that wards of Madayi-6, Kottayam-Malabar-11, and Vengad-12 will be containment zones in the wake of people returning from abroad and other States testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
People moving out of their houses unnecessarily and not taking enough precautions after the government relaxed the lockdown are at increased risk of contracting the infection through contact, K. Narayana Nayak, District Medical Officer, said.
“In most cases, the sources had been identified. But there are chances that a few affected patients, who may not have initially shown the symptoms of the disease, could spread the disease. Unless people take responsibility and follow preventive measures there is every possibility of a community spread of the disease,” he said.