Four health workers were among the 61 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Sunday.
A 34-year-old staff member at the Koothattukulam family health centre, a 20-year-old native of Thrissur working at a private hospital, a 36-year-old ASHA worker from Eloor, and a 27-year-old doctor at the Kalamassery health centre have acquired the infection.
Quarantined
At Kalamassery, other staff members at the health centre have gone into quarantine, but the Health Department has not asked any patients who visited the centre to remain in quarantine, according to municipality officials. One set of staff members at the centre was quarantined earlier when a patient who visited the centre turned positive, said municipality chairperson Rukiya Jamal.
With 60 cases through local transmission of the virus, only one person who arrived from outside the State has tested positive.
From the West Kochi area, three people from Palluruthy, one person from Mattancherry and four from Fort Kochi have been infected. Six positive cases were recorded from Chellanam.
Six people from Edappally, six others from Kavalangad and a nun from a convent at Koonammavu have tested positive.
107 recoveries
Offering some respite, the district recorded 107 recoveries on Sunday.
Currently, 865 patients are receiving treatment.
As many as 422 samples were sent for testing on the day. From private labs in the district, around 1,748 samples were collected for testing.
New ICU
A new 40-bed intensive care unit (ICU) has begun functioning at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery.
Ventilators
With the new facility, the number of ventilators at the hospital that treats COVID-19 patients in critical condition has gone up to 75.
The ICU is equipped with two dialysis units, blood gas analysers, video laryngoscopes, and ultrasound and digital X-ray facilities.
The facility’s functioning is integrated through the Health Department’s e-health software.
John Fernandez, MLA, and Hibi Eden, MP, have contributed ₹1 crore each from their respective development funds, for the new block.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), as part of its corporate social responsibility project, has contributed another ₹1 crore.