Thirteen more persons from Kollam, all of them NoRKs, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Sunday.

While 12 persons came from abroad, one is from Mumbai. All patients are currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College, Parippally.

The new cases include five persons who travelled from Kuwait, five from Saudi Arabia, and one each from Bahrain and Dubai. The patient from Mumbai, a 52-year-old Uliyakovil resident, reached Kollam on June 4. Though he tested positive in the rapid test conducted on June 9, later his swab tested negative. His sample was collected once again on June 18 after his wife tested positive on June 12.

Other patients include residents of Karavaloor, Chavara Thekkumbhagam, Keralapuram, Mynagappally, Kulathupuzha, Thenmala, Thazhava, Piravathur, Sooranad, and Klappana.

The Kuwait returnees who tested positive included a 33-year-old man from Karavaloor, another 33-year-old from Chavara Thekkumbhagam, and a 23-year-old Mynagappally resident who reached Kollam on June 12 and were on institutional quarantine. Two others from Kuwait, a 36-year-old Chandanathoppe resident and a 43-year-old Thenmala resident, arrived the next day on June 13 and were under home quarantine.

Those from Saudi Arabia who tested positive included two Klappana residents and one Thazhava resident who were on institutional quarantine, and a Kulathupuzha resident and a Soorand resident who were under home quarantine.

The patient from Bahrain was a 52-year-old Piravanthur resident who had completed seven days of institutional quarantine. When he tested positive, he was under home quarantine when he tested positive. The other patient from abroad, a 30-year-old Sooranad resident, travelled from Dubai to Kerala on June 10 and was under home quarantine.

Thrikkovilvattom, Mayyandu, Ittiva, Kalluvathukkal and Kollam Corporation have been declared COVID-19 hotspots in the district.