Paipra records 152 Covid cases within a week

KOCHI: Adding to the health department’s worry, Covid cases keep rising at a private steel rod manufacturing company in Paipra panchayat under Muvattupuzha taluk. Within a week, 152 migrant workers from Odisha have tested positive there for the novel coronavirus, with 64 of them turning positive in antigen tests on Wednesday.“The spread began on August 26 with three cases,” said Naseema Sunil, councillor of  Paipra ward where the company is located.

Six more cases were reported the very next day, followed by nine cases on the third day. “Cases doubled to 36 on the fourth day. By Tuesday, there were 88 Covid cases. Antigen tests were conducted for the 164 remaining inmates of the company, of whom 64 tested positive. Samples of seven persons who showed symptoms and tested negative in antigen testing were sent for the RT-PCR test,” she said.

Naseema alleged the company violated quarantine norms and forced employees to work, leading to the viral spread.“Though the company claimed they had placed all of them under quarantine, it was clear the workers continued to work and resulted in the infection spreading among other employees. If they had followed the Covid protocol, cases would never increase so much,” she said. After a meeting involving the Revenue Divisional Officer, MLA Eldho Abraham and other officials, the area was demarcated as a containment zone and the company was closed down until further notice.  

“Those who tested positive in the first few days were shifted to a nearby CFLTC. Now we have converted the company quarters into a CFLTC,” the councillor said. Pointing out its similarity to the spread at warehouses at the HMT Junction and the Industrial Estate in Kalamassery, officials said cases were reported only within the vicinity of the company. 

“Ever since the outbreak, the panchayat officials didn’t let any of the migrant workers to move out of the compound. As their Rapid Response Team was on high vigil, no local resident has contracted the virus. It is the same method followed in Kalamassery during the spread last week,” said a health department official.

136 new Covid cases, 119 recoveries in district
Kochi: Ernakulam on Wednesday reported 136 new Covid-19 patients, of whom131 were infected due to local contact. The new patients  include three healthcare workers. Chellanam reported 14 cases, followed by 10 in Mattanchery, eight each in Chengamanad and South Vazhakulam, six each in Edappally and Thrikkakara, five in Kanjoor and four in Fort Kochi. Meanwhile, 119 patients recovered. A total of 2,288 persons are under treatment in the district for Covid. Dr A Fathahudeen, nodal officer for Covid at the MCH in Kalamassery said five patients there remain critical.