The ramping up of testing in the critical containment zones and its buffer area of the district translated to a spike in COVID-19 cases as 63 people, including two health workers and police officers each, were diagnosed with the disease on Monday.
Fifty seven among the fresh cases were due to local transmission and the sources of infection were unknown in five of them. As many as 32 cases were reported from the Manikyavilakom, Poonthura, Puthenpally and the adjacent areas that form the buffer zone.
The spurt comes a day after no case was reported from the three wards that together formed the critical containment zone, owing to the slump in testing after the attack on health workers and the protest of the local community two days ago. A 32-year-old employee of a food aggregator from Cheriyathura, who used to deliver parcels to Thampanoor and areas nearby, is among those who tested positive from the region.
Two police officers, a 27-year-old woman civil police officer from Nedumangad and attached to the Cantonment police station, and a 34-year-old civil police officer from Panangode and attached to the Fort police station, were also diagnosed with COVID-19. With this, the number of City police personnel who have been laid low by the disease has risen to seven. Around 30 police personnel have been directed to go into quarantine in the two police stations.
A 34-year-old radiographer, hailing from Perumpazhuthoor, and a 32-year-old employee of a private hospital from Pongummoodu are the health workers affected.
Among the cases detected without known sources of infection are a 22-year-old inmate of a women’s hostel at PMG, a 49-year-old man who runs a poultry farm in Chirayinkeezhu, and a 15-year-old school student from Thirumala.
Three people recovered from the illness on the day. Currently, 608 people, including natives of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Wayanad and Tamil Nadu, are being treated here.
