11 wards in city declared as hotspots

Thiruvananthapuram: As the source of positive cases are yet to be ascertained, the district is on high alert and eleven wards in corporation area have been declared as containment zones.
In the latest proceedings issued by district collector declaring containment zones, it was pointed out that after a family of four members residing at Iranimuttam in Attukal ward, Manacadu Village turned positive, serious efforts are being made to trace the source of the infection.
However, no such epidemiological link, like confirmed travel history or contact with known Covid positive patients could be established till now.
The contact tracing is underway and more than 120 primary contacts have been identified so far and sent to home isolation, which spreads along Attukal, Kalady, Kuriyathi, Kalippankulam and Manacadu wards in Thiruvananthapuram corporation.
Sample collection and testing among the primary contacts are ongoing as per Containment Zone Activity plan and on Friday, three others from among the contacts of patient turned positive.
Among them, two persons have a good number of contacts in the public and their primary and secondary contacts are being traced and have been sent to isolation.
The source of infection of two other persons who were tested positive on Friday and are residents of Muttathara ward and Thrikkanapuram wards could not be detected.
In the meeting of the district core group for contact tracing, it was decided to recommend declaring the entire wards of Attukal, Manacadu, Kuriyathi, Kalippankulam to the existing containment zone and to include Tagore Road in Thrikkannapuram ward and Puthenpalam in Muttathara.
The city corporation conducted disinfection measures at Manacaud, Kuriathi and other containment zones on Saturday. Restrictions in markets at Palayam and Chalai imposed by city corporation and police are in effect in the city.
Four more cases were confirmed in the district on Saturday. These include a 28-year-old man who came from Jammu and Kashmir and a resident of Parassala, a 23-year-old man from Tajikistan who is a resident of Manacaud, a 28-year-old man from Delhi and a resident of Thannimoodu and a 51-year-old man from Kuwait and a resident of Edava.
Meanwhile, 1,361 persons were brought under disease surveillance in the district on Saturday. As many as 405 persons completed observation period without showing any symptoms on Saturday.
As many as 23,975 persons are under quarantine in houses and 1,683 persons are in institutional quarantine in the district. Thirty-five people were admitted to hospitals in the district on Saturday.
On Saturday, 27 persons were discharged. As many as 383 samples were sent for testing on Saturday and 389 samples came out negative.
In a press note issued by VSSC after one employee tested positive, 13 persons (5 permanent employees and 8 contract personnel) who are suspected to have come into contact with the infected person have been advised to be in quarantine. Based on attendance records, the employee had last attended office on June 15.
The restrictions imposed in Palayam market and Chalai market where only 50% shops are opening, continued on Saturday also. However, only a few people visited the market as most preferred to keep away from the crowd.