The COVID-19 graph continued to climb in the capital district with 434 persons being diagnosed with the disease on Thursday. Barring an imported case, all of the fresh cases have been attributed to local transmission.
The official death toll also went up to 24 with a 55-year-old woman from Mukkola, who died on August 7, testing positive for the viral infection posthumously.
While 428 people contracted the infection through local transmission, five health workers also tested positive. The sources of infection were unknown in 15 cases. With 197 persons recovering from the disease, the number of those being treated in the district stood at 3,347.
Relief-camp residents
Twenty-one persons who tested positive are residents of a relief camp opened for people from sea-erosion-hit coastal areas, including Valiyathura.
The cases emerged when 43 residents of the camp at Government Upper Primary School, Vallakkadavu, were tested.
In coastal areas
Numerous cases have been reported along the coastal belt where testing has been increased in the past few days after a lull.
Thirteen persons were diagnosed with COVID-19 from among 75 subjected to tests at Vizhinjam. While 100 persons from Kovalam and nearby areas were subjected to tests, 10 tested positive. Cases were also reported from Anchuthengu (12) and Karumkulam (5).
Besides the 42 new cases at the Poojappura Central Prison, some other cases were reported in the region.
Nine persons, including an autorickshaw driver, were diagnosed with the disease when 50 persons were tested in the Kunnu Bungalow colony, Mudavanmugal.
Vamanapuram MLA D.K. Murali has gone into quarantine after the Pullampara grama panchayat president who took part at a function with him a few days ago tested positive.
Other parts of the district that reported fresh COVID-19 cases include Neyyattinkara (nine), Kallikad (seven), Kattakada and Palode (three each) and Pangode and Anad (two each).
Vending machine
Mayor K. Sreekumar inaugurated a vending machine for masks, gloves and sanitisers at the city Corporation main office here on Thursday.
The machine has been set up under the auspices of the city Corporation and SmartCity. Masks will be available for ₹10, gloves for ₹15, and sanitiser for ₹50.
Besides cash, Google Pay or QR code scanning can be used to make payment.
Such machines would be set up at five other places in the city, the Mayor said.