As many as 27 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Palakkad district on Tuesday. They included five children below 10 years of age.
While 17 of the new infected cases had returned from abroad, nine had come back from other States. A jail employee from Pattambi contracted the disease apparently from a prisoner who had been tested positive.
District Collector D. Balamurali said that among the 27 positive cases on Tuesday, six had returned from Tamil Nadu, two from Delhi, one from Hyderabad, seven from Kuwait, four from Qatar, two each from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and one each from Oman and Kazakhstan.
The total number of infected persons currently under treatment in Palakkad rose to 181.
In Malappuram
Meanwhile, the neighbouring Malappuram district registered 11 fresh cases on Tuesday, taking the number of infected patients currently under treatment to 197. This is the largest in the State. “Naturally, we have the largest population in the State as well,” said a senior health official.
A total of 379 persons have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Malappuram so far. Among those currently being treated at Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri, are five persons from Palakkad, three from Thrissur, two from Kozhikode and one each from Idukki and Pathanamthitta, said District Medical Officer K. Sakeena.
Three of the 11 persons tested positive on Tuesday contracted the virus through contact.
District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan warned people to maintain vigil. He said those who had interacted with the persons tested positive should go in self-quarantine and should alert health officials.
In Ernakulam
Five more persons have been identified as primary contacts of a 40-year-old in Nayaramblam who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on June 21. With this, samples taken from a total of 106 persons who came in contact with the patient have been sent for tests.
A communication from the district administration said that the COVID-19 patient had come into contact with a person who had arrived here from outside Kerala and was under observation. There was considerable apprehension on Monday as the source of the infection could not be immediately identified.
13 test positive
Thirteen persons tested positive for the virus in Ernakulam district on Tuesday. A person from Kottayam district has also been tested positive here.
The infected included those who arrived early this month from Kuwait, Delhi and Mumbai. The person from Kottayam had arrived here on June 21 from Qatar.
The district administration said that six persons were cured of the disease on Tuesday. They included a Lakshadweep native who tested positive for the virus on June 16 and a native of Maharashtra who tested positive on June 10.
As many as 797 persons were added to the list of those under observation on Tuesday while 581 were removed from the list. The total number of those under observation now is 12,921. They include 11,051 persons in home quarantine, 388 in COVID care centres and 1,482 in paid facilities.
The number of people admitted to hospitals for observation on Tuesday was 26.
A total of 135 COVID-19 patients are undergoing treatment in the district now.
In Thrissur
Thrissur district reported 14 more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. In all, 117 persons are undergoing treatment at various hospitals. There are 15,007 people under observation.
A 49-year-old employee from Kunnamkulam, working in the planning division of the Thrissur Corporation, was among the infected.
He had not attended the meeting held on June 15, in which Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar participated.
In Kozhikode
Six more persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kozhikode district on Tuesday. They include an airport official from Naduvannur who contracted the virus from another infected official. One person came by a lorry from Bengaluru to Kozhikode on June 20.
Two had come from Muscat and one each from Sharjah, Bengaluru and Chennai.
A total of 113 patients are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 in the district. As many as 894 persons were added to the list of those under observation on Tuesday, taking the total number to 15,032.
Man dies
A Kunnamangalam native who had been under observation died on Tuesday. District Medical Officer V. Jayasree said that his samples would be sent for test immediately.
In Wayanad
Two more COVID-19 cases were reported in Wayanad district on Tuesday.
A 24-year-old youth of Vengapally and a 33-year-old woman of Muppainad in the district were confirmed to have contracted the virus.
Both were shifted to the District Hospital at Mananthavadi. As many as 3,585 persons are under observation in the district. Two persons, including a Tamil Nadu native, were cured of the disease on Tuesday.
(With inputs from Malappuram, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Wayanad bureaus)
