276 positive cases in Ernakulam

Of the 276 persons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus on Wednesday, only one person had arrived from outside the State, while all others contracted the disease through local transmission.

A total of 15 personnel of the Navy have tested positive. Of the eight health workers who were newly infected, six were from private health facilities. West Kochi continues to record a large number of cases daily, with 23 persons from Mattancherry and six residents of Fort Kochi testing positive. Eight migrant workers at a private establishment in Paipra have also been infected. People have tested positive from areas including Kalamassery, Chellanam, Edathala, Eroor, Karumalloor, Thrikkakara, Kumbalam, and Nellikuzhi.

While 105 persons recovered on Wednesday, 2,728 are being treated. For testing, 1,287 samples were sent from government facilities and 1,321 tests were done at private hospitals and laboratories.

With the growing number of infections in the district, decentralised management of the situation with the active participation of local bodies had become increasingly significant, District Collector S. Suhas told health officials here on Wednesday. Local bodies should provide residents with numbers to contact if they showed symptoms, he said.