In view of a sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 cases over the last five days, Kottayam and Idukki districts have been upgraded as Red zones.
In Kottayam, where the total number of active cases on Monday rose to 17, seven grama panchayats and five wards in Kottayam municipality have been declared as hotspots. Locations surrounding the residences of COVID-19 patients have been marked as containment zones. The movement of people and vehicle are strictly regulated in these areas while essential items will be supplied to households by designated groups.
The six cases tested positive on Monday include a 40-year-old headload worker in Kottayam town market and a 40-year-old health worker in Vadavathoor, who are the primary contacts of the worker. The headload worker is undergoing treatment at the corona ward at the Government Medical College Hospital here.
T.N. returnees
The other persons who turned positive are a 56-year-old woman from Kuzhimattom, a 43-year-old truck driver from Manarcad who had travelled to Kozhikode earlier, and a 28-year-old woman at Melukavumattom who worked in a bank in Salem. The sixth person to be confirmed positive is a 46-year-old scrap dealer from Tamil Nadu. He had travelled to Thoothukkudi earlier.
Regarding the sharp rise in cases since last week, District Medical Officer Jacob Varghese attributed the trend primarily to two factors. “The first is the inability to break the inter-State food supply chain while the second is directly linked to the rapid outbreak in various districts of Tamil Nadu. Majority of the cases reported in the past few days are either related to the mix-up in the Kottayam market or with the arrival of a few persons from Tamil Nadu on emergency passes,” he said.
Taking serious note of the situation, the Health Department has extended the scope of sampling to include people who are asymptomatic. “Given the trend, the cases may well go up to a hundred and will come down eventually,” the official added.
Sample testing
Confounded by delay in tracing the origin of infection in some of the COVID-19 cases reported here since last week, the authorities have decided to expand sample testing in Kottayam. According to officials, arrangements are in place to collect up to 200 samples daily. Sample collection will be held at centres including the Government Medical College and at the General Hospitals in Kottayam, Changanassery, Pala and Kanjirapally.
A meeting convened by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman decided to continue the restrictions for three more days.
As per the decision, no government offices other than hospitals will be functional in areas marked as hotspots.Traffic regulation will continue and arrangements will be made to accommodate the healthcare workers on duty at the corona ward of the District General Hospital in the town limits.
Curbs in Idukki
With four more positive cases reported in Idukki on Monday, the number of patients rose to 14. With this, the district has been shifted to the Red zone. The district administration has imposed more restrictions declaring the grama panchayats that reported positive cases as hotspots.
The restrictions imposed till May 3 were on all wards in the Vandanmedu grama panchayat, ward number 3, 9 and 10 of Erattayar grama panchayat, ward number 3, 6 and 7 of Kattappana municipality, and ward number 3, 4 and 6 of Chakkupallom grama panchayat.
Traffic is being allowed through specified roads to the wards only for essential needs.
Those reported positive on Monday include a 17-year-old girl who came from the U.S. to Karikode on March 22, a 28-year-old woman who came from Tirupur to Devikulam on April 11, a 14-year-old girl who came from Chennai to Nedumkandam on April 14, and a 60-year-old woman in Munnar.
District Collector H. Dinesan said tracing was going on for those who came in contact with the doctor at the primary health centre who was diagnosed positive.
