An alert has been sounded in Vadakara and Chorod areas in Kozhikode where a large number of COVID-19 cases are being reported of late even as 131 people tested positive for the virus in the district on Thursday.

According to the Health Department, there is a possibility of local transmission in places such as Koyilandy which are adjacent to Vadakara. As many as 284 people have been tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Vadakara cluster so far and there are 162 active cases at present. Sixty-five people were diagnosed with the infection in the past three days in Vadakara and 15 in Chorod. There are 155 active cases in Chorod and 323 people from the area have been so far tested positive.

Strict action

Health officials claimed that people are thronging public places such as markets there. Action will have to be initiated as per the Disaster Management Act against shopkeepers who do not insist on physical distancing and do not keep hand sanitizers. People should follow the COVID-19 protocol while venturing out of their homes, added the officials. Meanwhile, the district administration pointed out that more lab tests were being conducted within Kozhikode Corporation, Vadakara, Chorod, and Olavanna limits.

The District Medical Officer said 118 of the 131 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Kozhikode were through local transmission. There are five health workers among the infected. There are 30 cases of local transmission in Kozhikode Corporation area, 21 in Kadalundy, and 10 in Mavoor. As many as 186 people recovered from the infection and there are 1,844 active cases in the district.