Of the 29 persons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the district on Friday, 24 were infected through local contacts. The infection source of one case could not be traced.
Those who tested positive on Friday included residents of Adimaly, Konnathady, Edavetty, Vannapuram, Keerithode, Rajakkad, and Karimban.
Five of the infected persons had come back from Tamil Nadu.
The source of infection of a Karinkunnam resident, who had gone to a private hospital in Kottayam on July 22, could not be traced.
As per official data, 247 persons in the district have recovered from the virus. A record number of 96 recoveries were registered on Friday. The total number of persons undergoing treatment at various hospitals rose to 262.
Triple lockdown
Ward numbers 11 and 14 of the Vathikudy grama panchayat have been exempted from the list of the containment wards in the district. Triple lockdown was announced in four wards of the Vannapuram grama panchayat.
The other wards in the panchayat would be containment zones.
In the past few days, the infection had spread rapidly through local contacts. Porous border routes are being strictly monitored following reports that people from Tamil Nadu are entering plantation areas in the district through these routes.
A police official said people were coming in through the many border routes which were once used to smuggle cardamom to Tamil Nadu.
Residents in plantation areas have been alerted to inform the police if instances came to their notice.
He said those working in Tamil Nadu, including doctors, were daily passing through the border check-posts. They were directed to stay either in Tamil Nadu or in Kerala.
