The district reported 777 more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, but there was also some good news for a change.
The rate of transmission of the disease appears to have slowed down in Thiruvananthapuram, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The district also did not report any new deaths due to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Stiff challenge
“COVID-19 had posed a stiff challenge in Thiruvananthapuram district, but the transmission rate has declined. This can be attributed to the exemplary action jointly taken by various departments. The people of the district also responded on a positive note,” Mr. Vijayan said.
That notwithstanding, the response has been disappointing in crowded places such as fish markets, street-side shops and eateries where physical distancing and other Break-the-Chain measures were lax. This was not a good tendency, the Chief Minister said.
Private tuition centres are a cause for concern, according to the Chief Minister. “Many children are resorting to such centres for preparing for online exams. Parents should note that the percentage of children below the age of 15 testing positive for COVID-19 is high in the district,” he said.
Of Tuesday’s caseload, local transmission accounted for 680 cases, while the source of infection was vague in 62 cases.
62 children
In all, 326 women and 451 men newly tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. This included 62 children below the age of 15 and 137 persons above 60.
As many as 24 health-care workers also were diagnosed with the disease on the day.
The total number of recoveries stood at 815. A total of 11,475 persons are under treatment for COVID-19 at present.
On Tuesday alone, 2,368 persons were newly quarantined in the district.
Containment zones
The following are the new containment zones in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation limits: Muttada (CP Nagar area), Ambalathara (Mithra Nagar Ammachimukku junction, We One Residents Association); Kamaleswaram (Ganga Nagar, Jubilee Nagar), Puthenpalli (Badari Nagar), Muttathara (Vaduvath region), Shanghumughom (GV Raja A Street, B Street, C Street, Rajiv Nagar, Kannanthura).
The following panchayat areas also have been declared containment zones: Kalloorkonam in Kadakkavur panchayat; Chettachal, Theviyode, Peppara, Memala and Thalachira in Vithura panchayat; and Kizhuvilam and Koonthalloor in Kizhuvilam panchayat.
Curbs lifted
The following areas have been excluded from the list of containment zones: Iruvaikonam in Thirupuram panchayat; Velloorkonam and Chavarkode in Navayikulam panchayat; and Mannanthala (except SN Nagar, Perapur), and PG Residents’ Association in Perunthanni ward of city Corporation.
