Thiruvananthapuram: Spurt in cases after Onam portends further peak

THIRUVANANTHPURAM: The district seems well on its course for a peak in September third week going by the positivity rate. Thiruvananthapuram’s TPR in first week of September post Onam was 9.9. Although it was a slight decline from the TPR in the final week of August (10.9), the number of cases in the district has risen sharply since September 1.
Even with over 40 clusters, the first two weeks of August reported 3,839 cases. In September, the past 13 days have so far recorded 5,331 positive cases. The local transmission percentage in the district had touched 96.67% by September 7.
The rate of local transmission dropped mildly in the next days with the percentage switching between 93% and 94% till now. In August, the TPR had shown a variable trend even with a huge number of clusters. While the cumulative TPR for August in the capital was 8.7, weekly rates ranged between 8.9-10.9.
Going by the rise in number of cases, TPR is expected to rise more in the coming weeks. Right from the start of September, family clusters began to form and a majority of them had a history of informal gatherings as part of Onam. Irrespective of rural and city areas, cases were being reported from families which portended a further peak in transmission.
In Kalady, around 35 active cases emerged from three families and more than 11 cases were reported from a single family in the first week. Karimadom, Kuriathi and Manacaud had over 90 active cases by the end of first week. Karimadom colony had a family in which 11 members tested positive.
Some of the panchayat areas also recorded a delayed peak. Kallikadu panchayat had reported cases mostly from Mylakkara and Chamalappuram in the first week of September. Many of the neighbouring wards had already gone through the peak and were on a downward slide when 46 cases emerged at Chamalappuram.