Containment zones in Ernakulam under active surveillance

Active surveillance has been launched in the containment zones in Aluva Municipality, and Chellanam and Mulavukad panchayats where most number of infections were reported through contact.

The special teams deployed in the zones will collect over 200 samples from Aluva and Chellanam regions on Friday. The Health Department plans comprehensive door-to-door sample collection with the help of Kudumbashree and Accredited Social Health Activist members in Chellanam.

The decisions were taken at a videoconference chaired by District Collector S. Suhas on Thursday to take stock of the situation. Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar and Health Department officials attended the meeting.

The Health Department with the help of the police has tracked down workers of all contract carriages engaged to transport migrant workers back home. The symptomatic among them will be tested.

The operational time of shops dealing in essential items in containment zones was rescheduled to between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Discussions will be held with super markets operators over home delivery of essentials.

Markets closed

Two more markets in the district – fish markets in Fort Kochi and Kalamukku – were also closed down as a precautionary measure, taking the total number of closed markets to six. Markets in Aluva, Ernakulam, Chambakkara and Varapuzha already remain closed.

Two more wards in Aluva Municipality – 8 and 21 – were declared as containment zones on Thursday. “Both the wards had a hospital each that treated COVID-19 patients. That coupled with the contiguity factor for enabling effective monitoring by the police was why they were declared containment zones,” said Anwar Sadat, Aluva MLA. Now, 15 out of the 26 wards in Aluva Municipality remain containment zones.

Strict restrictions

The Ernakulam Rural police are intensifying surveillance along containment zones. As part of it, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K. Karthik led a drive covering Aluva, Ashokapuram, Cochin Bank, Mahilalayam, Thottumukham, Bypass, and Pulinchodu.

“We have enforced strict restrictions in containment zones and those found violating them will be sternly dealt with. No vehicles will be allowed inside Aluva town,” said Mr. Karthik.

Traffic curbs

Vehicles bound for Perumbavoor and Munnar from Ernakulam should either take the diversion from HMT Junction or take the Mahilalayam bridge from Desham. Motorists headed to Perumbavoor or Munnar from Angamaly and Paravur regions should also take the same bridge from Desham.

Vehicles along the Perumbavoor KSRTC Road should take the Desham route from Mahilalayam Junction to either Thrissur or Ernakulam whereas vehicles along the Perumbavoor private bus route should take the diversion to Ernakulam side from the Bank Junction.

Special drive

A special drive covering the Aluva, Perumbavoor and Muvattupuzha police sub divisions was held on Thursday in which 181 cases were registered for violating the COVID-19 protocol.