Nine persons, including eight who came from abroad, were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the district on Sunday.
Among those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 is a 48-year-old Varkala native who had come from Abu Dhabi on May 29. While he stayed in an institutional quarantine facility till June 6, he was sent home. He exhibited no symptoms, but his swab sample was collected after one of his co-travellers on the flight had tested positive for the virus.
The others who were diagnosed with the disease include a 35-year-old Kesavadasapuram native who came from Saudi Arabia on June 13, a 36-year-old Pothencode native who came from Kuwait on June 13; a 43-year-old Navaikulam native who came from Muscat on June 19; a 32-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman who came from Kuwait on June 14 (both Balaramapuram natives); a 40-year-old Ambalathara native who came from Saudi Arabia on June 4, a 25-year-old Kaniyapuram native who returned from Saudi Arabia on June 3, and a 58-year-old man hailing from Kunnukuzhy who came from Chennai on a flight on June 11.
Meanwhile, the district administration has intensified efforts to check the virus in the containment zones declared in 10 wards of Kattakada grama panchayat and five areas in the Manacaud, Attukal, and Kalady wards of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Follow govt. guidelines
Following a meeting convened by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the district authorities directed local self-government institutions to ensure that commercial outlets adhere to government guidelines. Those aged above 60 years and below 10 years and those suffering from critical ailments have been advised to leave their houses only for emergency purposes. Hospitals have also been ordered to ensure strict crowd management by permitting only a bystander.
The meeting also took stock of the ongoing efforts in the containment zones. Health squads have visited 1,495 houses in Kattakada and have collected throat swabs from 280 people in the contact list of a Kulathummal-native ASHA worker who tested positive for the infection. The Amachal family health centre has been reopened. Three teams visited 60 houses in Attukal while five teams visited 140 houses in Chala and adjacent areas.
The patient routemap of the Iranimuttom-native autorickshaw driver, who was diagnosed with the disease a few days ago, has also been released. Besides having taken part in the production of a television serial in Karamana with 15 others, the patient conducted trips to several places, including Anayara, Vattiyurkavu, Poojappura, Karamana, Palkulangara, Kaithamukku, Thrikannapuram, Pattoor, Statue, Kalady, Attukal, Vazhuthacaud, and Vellayani between May 30 and June 16. He also visited a private hospital at Attukal, General Hospital, and the community health centre at Iranimuttom.
The public have been able to contact the district authorities at 1077 or 9188610100 to convey details regarding the movement of the autorickshaw (KL-01-BJ-4836).