Sparking fears of local transmission of COVID-19 in the district, 22 more persons tested positive for the disease on Thursday. Among the fresh cases, 10 persons contracted the disease through contact. Ten are foreign returnees and two came from other States.
Those who contracted the disease through contact include six relatives of a pregnant woman from Pallithode who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on July 4. Of the six, two are children, said an official.
A 46-year-old man native of Bharanikavu is a relative of a fish vendor from Kuruthikkad who tested positive last week. Another is a 55-year-old fish vendor at Kayamkulam market. A 49-year-old man from Pulinkunnu is an employee of a seafood company at Ezhupunna. A young man from Pattanakkad, an employee at Chellanam harbour, also contracted the disease through contact.
Of the cases from foreign countries, four came from the UAE. Three young men, two of them hailing from Purakkad and another from Mararikulam, reached the district on June 26. A young man from Purakkad came on June 24. Two patients hailing from Mannar and Pallipad had come from Oman on June 19 and June 28 respectively. A 53-year-old man from Thrikkunnapuzha and a 47-year-old man from Purakkad came from Saudi Arabia on June 17 and July 1 respectively. Two young men from Kumarapuram and Purakkad had come from Qatar and Bahrain on June 25 and June 26 respectively.
Two who came from other States are Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at the Nooranad unit.
Meanwhile, seven people who were undergoing treatment for COVID-19 tested negative for the disease. The number of active cases in the district stands at 236.
Ban on fishing activities
Following a spike in COVID-19 cases in coastal areas, District Collector A. Alexander issued an order banning fishing and sale of fish along the coast in the district. Officials said that the ban would remain in place till July 16.