After five consecutive days that witnessed a gradual shifting of Kottayam as a Red zone for COVID-19 outbreak, the district heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday with the region reporting no new cases of virus.
Though no new cases were reported, two persons including a native of Idukki with symptoms of the viral infection were admitted to the hospitals here. At the same time, the total number of patients under treatment stood at 18.
The total number of people in home quarantine, a majority of who are the primary and secondary contacts of the COVID-19 affected persons in the district, was 1,040.
The district administration released the route map of three persons and requested the people to report if anyone had come into contact with these persons anywhere.
The route maps comprised the travel history of the Sharjah-returned woman in Samkranthi, a head load worker hailing from Vadavathoor and a lorry driver in Manarcad.
The officials have kick-started attempts to prepare the route maps of the remaining patients and are painstakingly collecting their travel details within the State.
Delay in testing
Meanwhile, reports have emerged about a possible delay in testing of samples due to the lack of facilities. According to sources, the laboratories at the Inter-University Centre for Bio Medical Research Thalappadi and at the Government Medical College (GMC) together have the capacity to test up to 150 samples daily as against the daily average collected of 250 samples.
Testing facilities
According to an official with the Health Department, the authorities now count on expanding the testing facilities at the two laboratories in Kottayam on a war-footing to address the situation.
“While the laboratory at the GMC was launched with a capacity to test 20 samples daily, it has now been increased to 50 samples and we hope this to take up to 200 samples shortly. The same is applicable for the facility at Thalappadi, the capacity of which has been expanded to 100 from 50 samples in the beginning,” the official said.
