Malappuram district saw the biggest spike ever in COVID-19 infection on Saturday when it tested 395 positive cases. The surge in the number of COVID-19 cases continued for over a week in Malappuram. District Medical Officer K. Sakeena said that 377 of them got the infection through local contacts.

District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan, himself in quarantine after he tested positive for the virus, called upon the people to maintain stricter vigil in the light of a steady increase in COVID-19 cases.

A total lockdown will be imposed in the district on Sunday as part of tightening the measures against the disease. However, there will be exemption for marriage, funeral, medical emergency, medical institutions, and petrol pumps. Mr. Gopalakrishnan said that not more than 20 persons could attend marriages and funerals.

The source of infection of 13 cases, including 11 health workers, could not be traced. When five of the new cases came from other States, 13 came from abroad.

Dr. Sakeena said that 240 infected persons recovered in Malappuram on Saturday. When the district registered 6,929 infections since March, 4,081 recovered from the disease and 30 died. As many as 2,818 persons were currently under treatment in different hospitals in Malappuram.

The health authorities placed 1,883 more people in quarantine in Malappuram on Saturday. Nearly 42,000 people were currently quarantined for their contacts with the infected persons.

PALAKKAD

Palakkad district too saw a spike in COVID-19 cases when it tested 184 people positive for the virus on Saturday. They included 146 infections through local transmission, 17 cases that came from other States and seven that came from abroad. The source of infection in 14 cases could not be traced. District Medical Officer K.P. Reetha said that there were 89 recoveries in the district on Saturday.

The number infected persons currently under treatment in Palakkad rose to 855. Dr. Reetha said that nearly 13,000 people were currently quarantined in the district.