Transportation of vegetables and fruits to many parts of Kozhikode district is likely to be affected in the coming days with the Kozhikode Corporation on Wednesday deciding to shut down the Palayam market where 233 people were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Four deaths were reported from the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Tuesday and Wednesday. While a 60-year-old man from Koothuparamba in Kannur died on Tuesday, a 65-year-old man from Thiruvambady in Kozhikode, a 72-year-old man from Velimukku and a 74-year-woman from Kunnamangalam, both in Malappuram, died on Wednesday.
Palayam market is a major centre for wholesale as well as retail trade of vegetables and fruits in the district and areas in adjacent districts as well. Corporation sources claimed that the new cases of infection were revealed after antigen tests were conducted on 760 people. Most of the infected are vegetable vendors, pushcart vendors, and loading and unloading employees. Binu Francis, Corporation Secretary, said in an order that being a crowded area, the functioning of the market place would pose a threat to public health. The Central Market or Valiyangadi, the major market in the city, was closed down recently after over hundred people were tested positive for the virus there.
New cases
Meanwhile, the District Medical officer said in a release that 504 people were found newly infected in the district on Wednesday. As many as 452 of them got the infection through local transmission. Source was unknown in 37 cases. Twelve persons had returned from other States and three from abroad. There are 15 health workers among the newly infected persons. With 427 people recovering from the infection, the number of active cases from the district stood at 4,156. Health Department officials claimed that the daily tests had crossed 7,000-mark in the district now. Most of them are carried out in clusters and critical containment zones where a large number of people are being tested positive for the virus. A large number of tests were held at fish markets, fishing harbours, wards in the coastal zones, and at Palayam, they added.