The diagnosis of COVID-19 in a security guard of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), among 11 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Monday, has set alarm bells ringing in the capital district, which has already been grappling with several cases with unknown sources of infection.

The 55-year-old native of Karikkakom, who is part of the security staff at the MCH, has been involved in crowd management and used to work in the casualty and main gate of the outpatient department.

Having also worked in the COVID-19 outpatient wing from May 2 to 6, he was involved in shifting patients to the ‘red channel’ (sanitised corridor) on the hospital premises.

He sought treatment at the family health centre in Kadakampally on June 17, a day after he developed fever and fatigue. He had also gone to the casualty of a private hospital at Venpalavattom on June 18 along with his son in an autorickshaw.

A 23-year-old Karamana native, who works in the Fire Department in Chennai, was also diagnosed with the disease.

He had come to the State along with a friend, who hails from Shoranur, on scooter via Walayar on June 15. A Tirunelveli youth, aged 27, also contracted the illness after coming to Kerala in a train from Mumbai on June 19. He has been a bystander to his father who was being treated for vomiting and vertigo at the Thiruvananthapuram MCH.

The other cases include a 60-year-old Neyyattinkara native who came from Saudi Arabia via Kochi on June 15, a 54-year-old Kaithamukku native who arrived from Qatar on June 13, a 29-year-old Pozhiyoor native who came from Kuwait via Kochi on June 13, a 27-year-old man from St. Andrews who came from Kuwait via Kochi on June 13, a 25-year-old Maruthankuzhy native who returned from Kuwait via Kochi on June 13, a 37-year-old Venjaramoodu native who came from Kuwait via. Kochi on June 16, a 34-year-old Madavoor native who came from Dubai on June 20, and a 27-year-old Venpalavattom native who returned from Dubai on June 18.

Under quarantine

The district administration placed 1,244 people under quarantine on the day, thereby increasing the number of people who were being closely monitored to 21,346.

The City police have intensified inspections in the wake of the spurt of COVID-19 cases of late.

As many as 120 people were booked under provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020, while 324 people were fined for failing to wear masks outdoors.

Besides those that came in the containment zones in the Manacaud, Attukal and Kalady wards, the police also closed a few other road stretches as part of streamlining vehicular flow.

Swab tests

Meanwhile, the district administration has designated hospitals in each taluk for undertaking swab tests. Remand prisoners will be subjected to the COVID-19 test in the Varkala taluk hospital.

Such examinations will be conducted in the General Hospital, Fort Hospital, SUT Royal Hospital, Peroorkada district Hospital (in Thiruvananthapuram taluk), Chirayinkeezhu taluk hospital (in Chirayinkeezhu taluk), Varkala taluk hospital (in Varkala taluk), Nedumangad district hospital (in Nedumangad taluk), Neyyattinkara General Hospital, Parassala taluk hospital (in Nedumangad taluk), and Amachal family health centre (in Kattakada taluk).

The tests will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the case of symptomatic people who are found after 4 p.m., they will be admitted to the General Hospital for the tests, district medical officer P.P. Preetha said.