Of the 82 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Friday, 29 are from the West Kochi area.
Three persons from Palluruthy, 14 from Fort Kochi, 11 from Mattancherry and one from Thoppumpady have tested positive. Five people from Thevara have also been infected. After a brief slump in the number of cases from Chellanam in the past few days, the area recorded a total of nine cases on Friday.
Four health workers have tested positive – a 37-year-old ASHA worker from Vallarpadam, a 27-year-old health worker at the Karuvelipady Taluk Hospital, a 55-year-old at the Ernakulam General Hospital and a 31-year-old working at a private hospital in the district.
Other positive cases were recorded from Kalamassery, Kumbalangi, Cheranalloor and Thripunithura. Six people from Nellikuzhi have also tested positive. Five people who arrived from outside the State have tested positive. A total of 29 people tested negative for the disease and 1,198 are currently receiving COVID-19 treatment.
The district administration has asked private hospitals to make arrangements to treat Category C COVID-19 patients, that is, patients in critical condition. At a meeting with the managements of private hospitals Friday, District Collector S. Suhas sought the cooperation of private hospitals while dealing with a prospective surge in cases.
Private hospitals must also make arrangements to treat patients who arrive at a private hospital with other ailments and then test positive. The managements must also, according to the capacity at each hospital, set aside ICU facilities for COVID-19 patients. Additionally, an ambulance must be kept aside for COVID patients. Nurses and other staff members from private hospitals have also been asked to offer their services at PVS Hospital, which will soon be converted into a COVID hospital.