The COVID-19 caseload in the capital district crossed the 1,000 mark on Thursday as the number of those infected continued to grow at an alarming rate.
As many as 339 people, including five health workers, were diagnosed with the disease, taking the district’s active COVID-19 tally to 1,279. Only one person recovered from the disease on the day.
According to official statistics, 317 people contracted the infection through local transmission and among them, the sources of infection of 16 cases are unknown.
78 staff of hypermarket
Sparking a new wave of panic in the State capital, 78 employees of Ramachandran hypermarket tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the past two days. The patients are among the 172 employees in the establishment. The results of more swab samples are awaited. The employees, mostly from Tamil Nadu, were reportedly accommodated in a cramped facility on Kochar Road, Thakaraparambu.
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation ordered the closure of the hypermarket and its other branches in the city for a week.
CM calls for caution
During his briefing, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed out that many other commercial outlets in the State capital also employed migrant workers in large numbers and urged caution in this regard.
Critical of the manner in which shops have been functioning, Mr. Vijayan said the particular outlet threw caution to the wind, while their customers “took home the products they purchased as well as the coronavirus.” Hinting at enforcing further curbs, he added that the experience called for reorienting containment efforts. He also urged the customers of the outlet to contact district authorities, especially if they exhibited any symptoms.
While several new cases were reported in critical areas, including Poonthura, Pulluvila, Karumkulam, Parassala, Kottappuram and Perumathura with some developing as major clusters, the day also witnessed the emergence of many cases without known sources of infection in places, including Peyad, Ookkode, Pettah, Karikkakom, Konchiravila, Pangode, Muttathara, Kattakada, Kalliyoor and Thycaud.
The imported cases include people who came from Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE and Tamil Nadu recently.
At Greenfield stadium
The district administration’s efforts to establish a COVID-19 first-line treatment centre (CFLTC) at the Greenfield stadium in Karyavattom, its allied complex and convention centre are nearing completion. The centre is being equipped with 750 beds and modern medical equipment. The services of doctors, nurses, paramedical and cleaning staff and sanitary workers and ambulances will be made available round-the-clock. District Collector Navjot Khosa visited the stadium to take stock of the arrangements.
Containment zones
The number of containment zones also continued to increase in view of the emergence of new cases, many being without any known source of infection.
Restrictions have been imposed in Kunnathukal grama panchayat; Kottaramthuruthu ward in Azhoor grama panchayat; Kadakampally ward in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation; Pozhiyoor, Poyppallivilakam, Kollamkodu, Mullassery, Paruthiyoor and Pozhikkara beach wards in Kulathoor grama panchayat; Sarkara, Chirayinkeezhu and Valiyakada wards in Chirayinkeezhu grama panchayat; Kodankara ward in Chenkal grama panchayat; Vadakkeputhuveedu, Plamootukada, Ayira and Kanthalloor wards in Karode grama panchayat; Poovar Bund, Poovar Town, Poovar, Varavilathoppu, Beach and Erikkaluvila wards in Poovar grama panchayat; Palkulangara, Alathoor, Thrippalavoor, Aruvikkara, Marayamuttom and Ayiroor wards in Perumkadavila grama panchayat; and Alamukku, Poovachal, Kattakada Market, Pulinkodu and Thottampara wards in Poovachal grama panchayats.