Kerala sees over 600 Covid-19 cases on second consecutive day

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Covid infections via contact are increasing in Kerala with eight districts reporting a surge in such cases. Of the 623 cases reported on Wednesday, 432 were contact cases and the sources in 37 cases remain unknown. These cases include nine health workers and nine defence service canteen personnel in Kannur.
Thiruvananthapuram topped the chart with 137 contact cases followed by Ernakulam (64), Kozhikode (63), Kasaragod (57), Pathanamthitta (42), Idukki (23), Kottayam (21), Kollam (8), Alappuzha (6), Malappuram (4), Kannur (3), Thrissur (2) and Palakkad (2).
Valsamma Joy from Rajakkad in Idukki, who died on July 12, tested positive on Wednesday; also 196 patients tested negative. The total cases in state rose to 9,553 and 4,880 cases are active. The capital recorded maximum active cases (939) and Wayanad the lowest (95).
Of the 623 cases, 157 are from Thiruvananthapuram, 74 from Kasaragod, 72 from Ernakulam, 64 each from Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode, 55 from Idukki, 35 from Kannur, 25 from Kottayam, 20 from Alappuzha, 19 from Palakkad, 18 from Malappuram, 11 from Kollam, five from Thrissur and four from Wayanad.
In the past 24 hours 16,444 samples were collected for testing in state. Till date, 2,60,356 samples were sent for testing and 7,485 results are pending. Also, 82,568 samples were taken from priority groups like healthcare workers, persons with high social exposure, workers as part of sentinel surveillance of which 78,415 samples tested negative.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the infectivity, case load are increasing in several parts of various districts. Only solace is that super spread is reported in clusters across districts and local spread is contained within them. The attempt is to prevent this super spread from becoming community spread. Hence, containment zones and triple lockdowns were declared in such areas.
In Thiruvananthapuram such clusters were formed in Poonthura, Manikyavilakam, Puthanpally, and Pulluvila. In Ernakulam, clusters are in Chellanam, Aluva and Keezhmadu from where 64 contact cases were reported. In Idukki, Rajakkad is a major cluster with 55 cases and sources are unknown in 11 cases.
The CISF camp in Koothuparamba, Kannur is another major cluster; personnel on airport duty stay here. Already, 70 have tested positive and the defence service canteen situated in the cantonment area of Kannur is another cluster. Now six wards adjoining this cantonment area is a containment zone. The BSF camp in Kainoor in Thrissur is yet another cluster. Apart from this Kunnamkulam, Irinjalakuda, Chavakkad, Vadakkekad, Kuriachira, Chalakudy and Porathissery are the small clusters.
Wayanad has been put on high alert as there are reports that people are crossing borders using forest routes and hence there is a threat of local spread. Police have been asked to intensify monitoring in border areas, said Vijayan. He said the situation in Kasaragod is worsening again as 48 of the 74 cases were through contact. Areas bordering Karnataka have reported formation of clusters where contact cases are increasing.
ITBP camp and certain coastal areas in Alappuzha, Ponnani taluk in Malappuram, Parathodu grama panchayat in Kottayam, Chavara, Sasthamcotta, Veliyam and Poruvazhi in Kollam, Kumbazha in Pathanamthitta are clusters where contact cases are increasing, said the chief minister.