The district reported a sharp drop in COVID-19 cases with the tally going down to 22 on Monday.
The recovery rate also went up to 57 surpassing fresh cases for the first time. There are 21 contact cases and a person without any travel history among the new patients.
Among the contact cases are four health workers who have been working in a private medical college in the district. Kollam currently has 8,918 persons under observation and the total number of samples collected is 25,945. While 950 persons completed home quarantine on Monday, the Health Department has traced 5,723 primary and 1,713 secondary contacts of the fresh cases.
In order to avoid the delay in diagnosing the infection and ensuring the patients are moved to hospitals on time, four zonal corona control units have started functioning in the district. The units will trace the contact and prepare the route map of patients along with sample collection and epidemiological survey.
The eastern zone that includes Kulathupuzha, Anchal and Punalur municipality comes under the unit in Punalur Taluk Hospital. Karungappally Taluk Hospital will be in charge of the western zone including Karunagappally, Sooranadu South, Oachira, Mynagappally, Thekkumbahagam and Chavara health blocks. Palathara medical officer will handle Kollam Coropration, Kundara, Thrikkadavur and Palathara while Nedumankavu CHC will handle Nilamel, Velinallur Nedumankavu and Kulakkada health block. Department of Community Medicine, Azeezia Medical College, will also participate in the activities of corona care units. District control room will assess the functioning of zonal units on a daily basis and review meetings will be held on alternate days.
The district administration has opened two more COVID FIrst-Line Treatment Centres (FTCs) in Kottarakara and Nendumpana for asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms. As part of efforts to break the chain of infection, Kerala Police Association Kollam city committee has equipped the stations in the district with essentials needed for daily disinfecting. Sprayers and disinfectants have been handed over to nearly 30 centres including all police stations and control room along with Railway, Vigilance and Crime Branch units.