The prevalence of COVID-19 cases continued to stoke panic in the capital as a food delivery executive, a vendor and a medical representative were among the 16 persons who tested positive for the viral infection on Saturday.
Four persons contracted the disease through contact and their sources of infection are yet to be traced. All the others came from abroad.
A 37-year-old Kunnathukal native who is a delivery executive with the online food aggregator Zomato was among those who tested positive. He used to reside near the Palayam fish market and has reportedly delivered food parcels from restaurants at Palayam.
A 27-year-old medical representative who used to frequent hospitals at Kazhakuttam and Nalanchira and his 66-year-old father, both residing close to the Poonthura police station, tested positive on the day. A 31-year-old man from Kallattumukku who used to work at the Kumarichantha fish market was also diagnosed with the disease.
Gulf returnees
A 32-year-old Kunnuvila native who came from Saudi Arabia on July 2; a Kanyakumari native (51, Saudi Arabia, June 29); an Anchuthengu native (26, UAE, June 26); a Thumba native (45), a woman (62) from Kadinamkulam, an Uzhamalakkal native (36) and two Kanyakumari natives aged 29 and 30, who all came from Kuwait on June 26; a Vettuthara native who came from Qatar on June 29; an Edava native (22, UAE, June 29); a Kadinamkulam native (39, Kuwait, June 29); and a woman (53) from Mavelikara who came from Qatar on June 25 also tested positive.
Stricter regulations
The district continued to witness stricter regulations on account of the spike in transmission through contact. While restrictions currently in place in the containment zones in the wards of Attukal, Kuriathy, Kalippankulam, Manacaud, Tagore Road in Thrikkannapuram and Puthenpalam in Muttathara will continue for seven more days, Chemmaruthumukku ward in Nagaroor grama panchayat, Kuravara ward in Ottasekharamangalam and Vanyacode and Inchivila wards in Parassala grama panchayat have been newly designated as containment zones.
The government also instructed local-self government institutions to crack down on commercial establishments that failed to adhere to the guidelines.
The Thiruvananthapuram City police closed down nine shops that violated norms in the past two days. Restrictions have also been imposed on entry to the Secretariat.
Fisherfolk had been advised against entering the Tamil Nadu coast and told to dock their boats at the Vizhinjam harbour, if the need arose.
