In the biggest single-day spike so far, the district logged 126 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

While 74 patients contracted the disease through local transmission, 35 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at Nooranad came from Punjab. Source of infection of a 20-year-old man from Pathiyoor is untraced. Besides, 11 who came from abroad and five from other States tested positive for SARS-COV-2.

With 16 fresh cases, Chettikkad COVID-19 cluster topped the list of contact cases in the district for the second day running. Another 10 cases were reported from Alappuzha municipality. Rest of the contact cases were from Ambalappuzha (8), Kayamkulam (7), Kadakarappally (5), Poochackal (5), Pallippuram (5), Cherthala (4), Varanam (4), Pattanakkad (3), and one case each from Arthunkal, Vayalar, Chengannur, Aroor, and Kannanamkuzhy. There is a lack of clarity regarding the place of two patients.

The ITBP personnel reached the district from Jalandhar in Punjab on July 7 as part of the rotational change over. District Collector A. Alexander said a total of 50 personnel had reached the district, of which 35 tested positive for SARS-COV-2. “They were in quarantine since their arrival. Their swabs were collected for testing on August 2 and the results of 35 of them came back positive,” Mr. Alexander said.

Sixteen patients who had come from foreign countries and other States hailed from Alappuzha (2), Mavelikara (2),Thuravoor (2), Aroor, Ramankary, Kuthiathode, Thamarakulam, Kayamkulam, Bharanikavu, Nooranad, Budhanoor, Krishnapuram, and Thazhakara.

55 recoveries

Meanwhile, 55 people, including 30 who contracted the disease through contact, tested negative for the disease. The number of active COVID-19 cases in the district stands at 844.

Wards 22 and 24 in Cherthala municipality, ward 22 in Alappuzha municipality, ward 5 in Pattanakkad, ward 10 in Panavally, ward 10 in Thanneermukkom, and ward 10 in Punnapra South were declared as containment zones.