The capital’s COVID-19 case graph on Tuesday went up by 681, a majority of which have been attributed to local transmission. The district’s death toll leapt to 180 with 11 more deaths being attributed to the disease.
The deaths that have been confirmed by the National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha, are those of natives of Kadakkavoor (40 years old), Nedumangad (67), Venjaramoodu (68), Aruvikkara (68), Karimadom Colony (30), Parassala (38), Vallakkadavu (38), Perumathura (68), Perunkuzhi (70), Chirayinkeezhu (81) and Vattiyurkavu (54).
Among those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 526 people contracted the infection through contact, while the source of infection in 130 other cases is yet to be known. Only two of the newly diagnosed cases are treated as imported ones. Twenty three health workers also tested positive.
Those who were diagnosed with the infection included 391 men and 290 women, 65 of whom were aged below 15 years and 106 aged above 60 years. As many as 2,071 were directed to go into quarantine in the district on Tuesday, taking the total number of people being monitored to 26,245.
Elaborating on the grave situation that unfolded in Thiruvananthapuram, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the district accounted for 18% of active cases and 32% of the total death toll in the State.
Police officers infected
The pandemic continued to affect police personnel in large numbers. Twelve officers of the Thiruvananthapuram City police were diagnosed with COVID-19 on the day. They are attached to PTC commando wing (three), Karamana police (two), Thampanoor police, Valiyathura police, Railway police, City Control room, Armed Reserve Camp, Malabar Special Police (MSP) Battalion, and women police (one each).
District Collector Navjot Khosa has gone into quarantine after Additional District Magistrate V.R. Vinod tested positive on Monday. CPI(M) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan has also gone into self-quarantine after the party’s Nemom area secretary Parakkuzhy Surendran was diagnosed with COVID-19.
The district administration declared containment zones in Netta ward in Nedumangad municipality, Thozhukkal ward in Neyyattinkara municipality, Manchamcode ward in Aryancode grama panchayat, Moongottukonam colony, Kulathumal ward in Kattakada grama panchayat, Chittedath lane, and Devi Nagar (in Kuriyathi ward) in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The existing containment zone in Paruthipally lane in Poojappura ward has been extended to Poojappura residents association limits.
Containment zones have been withdrawn in Chandramangalam and Amachal wards in Kattakada grama panchayat; Nediyamcode, Peruvila, Parasivaikkal, Kodavilakam, Muriyankara, Town, Injivila, Ayinkamam, Melekonam and Ponnamkulam wards in Parassala grama panchayat; and Narani, Kudayal, Cheriyakolla, Kottukonam, Mooverikkara, Kurvad, Kottakkal and Paliyodu wards in Kunnathukal grama panchayat.