The capital district reported 310 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the number of active cases to 3,455. The official death toll rose to 30 with six more cases being confirmed by the National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha.
Those who succumbed to the disease include four women and two men, all aged 60 and above, who died in the past few days. As many as 300 contracted the infection through local transmission, while five health workers were also diagnosed with the disease. A total of 199 people have recovered from the illness in the district.
The infection continues to ravage the Poojappura Central Prison where 63 more inmates tested positive when 143 people were subjected to antigen tests. With this, the total number of infected inmates has gone up to 164 within four days. One prisoner was also diagnosed with the disease in the special sub-jail.
Prisons HQ closed
The Prisons Headquarters was closed for three days starting Friday after two prisoners deputed for cleaning the premises began to display COVID-19 symptoms. Following orders issued by the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Rishi Raj Singh, the department has also closed its Food for Freedom cafeteria as well as the food-making unit manned by prisoners. Its newly launched petrol pump will, however, continue to function.
A police officer and a guard, both Kollam natives and deputed for security in the State Secretariat, have tested positive. Two police officers attached to the Special Armed Police camp in Peroorkada have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
New COVID-19 cases emerged in significant numbers from the coastal areas. Five people, including an ASHA worker, tested positive when 100 people were subjected to antigen tests in Kovalam. Cases were also reported at Vizhinjam (4), Karumkulam (8) and Anchuthengu (9). Cases also continued to mount in Poojappura where 28 people were diagnosed with the disease in Decentmukku in Mudavanmugal. Six persons, including a grama panchayat member, tested positive in Balaramapuram.