The Malabar region continued to struggle with surging COVID-19 cases, with two deaths reported from Palakkad and Malappuram districts on Thursday.
A 73-year-old woman died at Kadambazhipuram in Palakkad on Tuesday while she was in quarantine after having returned from Chennai. Although there were rumours that she had been tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the government confirmed it only on Thursday. She was admitted to the District Hospital with pneumonia. Health officials said she had multiple health issues.
A 27-year-old woman from Edappal who died at a private hospital on Tuesday while being treated for cancer was also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. She had returned from Dubai on May 20 via Kochi.
Her 35-year-old husband and his sister who accompanied her too were found positive for the virus.
In Palakkad district, seven persons were confirmed to have contracted the virus, including the deceased woman from Kadambazhipuram. The number of COVID-19 cases in the district has risen to 154. The others who tested positive had returned from Dubai (2), Chennai (2), Rajasthan (1), and Thiruchirappally (1).
8 cases in Malappuram
In Malappuram, eight persons were tested positive on Thursday. All but one of them had returned from places such as Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar and Mumbai. The person who contracted the virus from a primary source was an Air India staffer.
District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan said all those who had come in contact with COVID-19 patients should go in quarantine. He said they should not go to a hospital on their own if they showed any symptoms. They should contact the control cell at 0483 2737858, 2737857, 2733251, 2733252, 2733253.
Highest spike
Kozhikode district saw the highest single-day spike in the number of COVID-19 cases on Thursday when 10 persons, including a five-year-old, were declared positive for SARS-CoV-2. Five others have been cured of the infection. The number of active COVID-19 cases here is 45 at present.
According to a release, four among those infected had returned from abroad, three had come back from Chennai and three got it through contact with others.
The five-year-old was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital here on May 25 and was tested positive for the virus on May 31. The second and third patients, a 54-year-old and a 23-year-old from Pantheerankavu, had returned from Chennai on May 17 by car and were home quarantined. They were admitted to the first-line treatment centre at the Lakshadweep Guest House after their body fluid samples tested positive for the virus on May 29. The fourth patient is a 46-year-old woman from Koduvally who had been in contact with those who were tested positive for the virus on May 30 and May 31. She was admitted to the medical college hospital on June 1.
The fifth patient is a 25-year-old from Madavoor who had returned from Kuwait on May 30. He was shifted to the medical college hospital and tested positive for the virus on June 2.
The sixth patient is a 29-year-old man from Kunnamangalam who had returned from Chennai by a scooter on May 24 and was quarantined at a relative’s place. He was admitted to the medical college hospital on June 1. The seventh patient is a 51-year-old from Chekkiad who had returned from Kuwait on May 30 and was at a COVID-19 care centre at Vadakara. He was admitted to the first-line treatment centre on June 2.
The eighth patient is a 22-year-old student of an aided college in Kozhikode, who had reached Thiruvananthapuram from Russia on May 20, and was at a COVID-19 care centre at Thamarassery. She had completed seven-day observation period and had been home quarantined. She is right now at the first-line treatment centre after she was tested positive for the virus on June 2.
The ninth patient is a 28-year-old woman who was admitted to the medical college hospital on May 24 after delivery.
The 10th patient is a 60-year-old from Valayam who had returned from Doha on May 29. He was admitted to the medical college hospital on May 31. Of the 7,561 people under observation in the district, 3,031 are expatriates.
12 cases in Kasaragod
The district reported 12 more cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 include six persons who returned from Maharashtra and five who returned from abroad. One person contracted the disease from affected patients. At present, there are 109 persons under COVID-19 treatment in Kasaragod.
The patients who returned from Maharashtra include a 50-year-old resident of Mangalpady panchayat, his 16-year-old daughter, a 44-year-old from Padana panchayat, a 42-year-old from Chengala panchayat, a 48-year-old from Valiyaparamba, and a 21-year-old from Mangalpadi.
Those who tested positive after returning from abroad include a 34-year-old from Neeleswaram, a 24-year-old from Pullur-Periya panchayat, a 25-year-old from Ajanur panchayat, a 21-year-old from Chemmanad panchayat and 48-year-old from Uduma panchayat.
A total of 3,940 people are under observation in the district.
In Kannur
Six more people were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kannur on Thursday. Three patients had returned from abroad, while three reached the State from Mumbai.
Among the patients, a 29-year-old from Chapparapadavu, a 50-year-old from Chembilodu, and a 46-year-old from Thana had returned from abroad, while a 27-year-old and a 40-year-old from Alakkode and a 40-year-old from Matool had returned from Mumbai.
With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the district reached 244. As many as 136 patients have been discharged from hospitals. Six persons were discharged on Thursday.
There are a total of 9,446 people under observation in Kannur.
In Wayanad
The number of people affected by COVID-19 in Wayanad has increased to 40, with two more persons testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Thursday.
Of the two confirmed cases, one is a 30-year-old resident of Kunnamangalam in Edavaka grama panchayat in the district and the other a 47-year-old woman from Gudalur in Tamil Nadu. District Medical Officer R. Renuka said the Kunnamangalam resident arrived at the Cochin port on May 17 and the Gudalur patient arrived at the Calicut airport from Dubai the same day.
Both of them were quarantined at a COVID-19 care centre, she said.
They were admitted to the district hospital at Mananthavady and their route maps were being prepared, she added.
Meanwhile, two persons who had been under treatment have recovered. Of the 40 cases reported in the district so far, 24 patients have been discharged.
According to data available with the Health Department, there are at present 3,689 persons, including 846 tribespeople, under observation in the district.
