Coronavirus cases are surging in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned during a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram. On Thursday, Kerala reported 1,078 new cases and 432 recoveries. With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state rises to 16,110.
It is the second day in a row that Kerala is posting a number past the dreaded 1000-mark. On Wednesday, Kerala reported 1,038 new COVID cases.
Thiruvananthapuram reported the most cases (222) while its neighbouring district Kollam posted 106 new cases. Ernakulam reported 100 cases.
Despite stringent measures, contact cases continue unabated in the state. Of the new cases, 798 contracted the virus through contract. Of the 222 cases in Thiruvananthapuram, 100 are contact cases. In Kollam, 88 per cent of new cases are contact cases whereas in Ernakulam, it is 94 per cent.
The source of 65 new cases are unknown, Vijayan said. Of them, 16 are from Thiruvananthapuram.
Contact cases make up for the larger percentage of new cases (74 per cent) while those who came from abroad (104) and other states (116) make up 9 per cent and 11 per cent.
Thirty-two health workers too have contracted the virus. They include seven each from Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, six from Idukki, three each from Alappuzha and Kottayam, two from Kozhikode, and one each from Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kasaragod districts.
In addition, three ITBP personnel in Alappuzha district, 12 fire-force employees of Thrissur district, nine KSC workers and two KLF personnel were also infected by the virus.
"The coming weeks are crucial. I urge all to follow the protocols issued by the health department and other officials. It is the only way we can curb the spread of the virus. Our future will depend on the steps we take today," Vijayan said.
Five COVID deaths on Thursday
Five COVID deaths too were reported in Kerala on Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Kozhikode Kallayi native Koyotti (57), Muvattupuzha Vadakkathanath Lakshmi Kunjanpilla (79), Parassala Nenjankuzhi native Raveendran (73), Karunagappally Kulashekharaparam Rahiyanath Beevi (58), Kannur Vilakottoor native Sadanandan (60).
Among these five, all except Rahiyanath were under COVID treatment.
With this, COVID deaths in the state now number 50.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's cases:
Alappuzha - 82
Ernakulam - 100
Idukki - 63
Kasaragod - 47
Kannur - 51
Kozhikode - 67
Kollam - 106
Kottayam - 80
Malappuram - 89
Pathanamthitta - 27
Palakkad - 51
Thiruvananthapuram - 222
Thrissur - 83
Wayanad - 10
With this, the number of active cases in the state rises to 9,458.
Recoveries
432 persons were cured of the disease on Thursday.
With this, the total number of recoveries in the state rises to 6,594.
Here's the district-wise break-up of today's recoveries:
Alappuzha - 39
Ernakulam - 95
Idukki - 22
Kasaragod - 36
Kannur - 7
Kozhikode - 16
Kollam - 31
Kottayam - 25
Malappuram - 30
Pathanamthitta -
Palakkad - 45
Thiruvananthapuram - 60
Thrissur - 21
Wayanad - 5
A total of 1,58,117 people are under observation in various districts. Of these, 94,662 are under home-quarantine and 9,354 are in hospitals.
1,070 people were admitted in hospitals on Thursday.
So far, 6,12,266 individual samples (including the augmented sample) have been sent for testing. Of these, the results of 9,159 tests are awaited. 22,433 tests were done in past 24 hours.
In addition, as part of Sentinel Surveillance, 1,07,066 samples were collected from priority groups, such as health workers, guest workers, social contacts. Of them, 1,02,687 have returned negative.
District-wise details:
Apart from the 222 cases reported in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kollam and Ernakulam had COVID cases in three digits on Thursday.
While Kollam reported 106 cases Ernakulam added 100 more cases to its tally. In Kollam, 103 contracted the disease trough contact. Nine of them do not have known source of infection.
Of the 100 cases in Ernakulam, 94 are contact cases. Twenty-five residents of a convent in Thrikkakara are among those tested positive on Thursday. The number of active cases in the district rose to 992.
In Malappuram, 89 more cases were confirmed.Of them, 34 contracted the disease through contact. Source of infection has not been identified in 14 cases.
Of the 82 cases reported in Alappuzha, 43 are contact cases. Source of infection is unknown in one case. Three officers of the ITBP camp at Nooranad and three health workers are among those tested positive.
Eighty cases were reported in Kottayam. There are 54 contact cases including five health workers. Ten more people tested positive in the Changanassery-Payippad region.
In Kozhikode, 67 more cases were confirmed. Of them, 56 people contracted the disease through contact. Source of infection has not been identified in three cases -- one each from Maradu, Thamarassery and Thiruvalloor.
Sixty-three cases were confirmed in Idukki. Fifty-five of them are contact cases. Source of infection has not been identified in the cases of a woman of Senapathi who runs a beauty parlour in Rajakkad and a Maniyaramkudi native who works at the Supplyco in Cheruthoni.
Hotspots
Twenty new regions have been designated as hotspots.
They are Chelannur (containment zone 3), Thiruvallur (5, 6, 10), Thamarassery (9) and Mukkam (29, 30) in Kozhikode district, Mathilakam (14) and Thiruvilwamala (10) in Thrissur district, Padiyoor (1, 13, 14) and Pinarayi (12) in Kannur district, Thrippunithura (5) and Manjapra (8) in Ernakulam district, Chengannur municipality (23) and Mannanchery (14, 17, 20) in Alappuzha district, East Eleri (14, 15), Kumbadaje(6, 7, 9) in Kasaragod district, Kulathupuzha (all wards), Nilamel (all wards) in Kollam district, Vaikom municipality (21,25) in Kottayam district, Marutharoad (10) in Palakkad district, and Peruvallur (3, 12) in Malappuram district.
Meanwhile, six regions have been excluded from the hotspots list.
They are Pallikkara (1, 4, 9, 12, 14), Vorkady (1, 5, 7, 11), Paivalike (16) and Panathady (13, 14) in Kasaragod district, Kadangode (4, 5) in Thrissur district, and Thannithodu (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) in Pathanamthitta district.
There are currently 428 hotspots in the state.
Important points from CM's press conference:
• More tests will be conducted in markets and other trade hubs in Thiruvananthapuram. The development comes in wake of the rising number of cases here, especially from Chalai market.
• The ban on fishing and the sale of fish along the coast of Alappuzha has now been extended until the midnight of July 29.
• Of the 100 cases reported in Ernakulam on Thursday, 94 are contact cases.
• Strict restrictions have been imposed in convents, ashramams and old age homes in Ernakulam as the inhabitants of three convents have tested positive in the district.
• Breach of social distancing restrictions at funerals, weddings and other social events have contributed to the spike in cases in the state.
• Politicans and other representatives should strictly abide by social distancing norms at public events. It has been noted that many failed to stick to this in the past days.
• In the wake of COVID-19, religious leaders have agreed to conduct Eid al-Adha festivities and rituals adherence to COVID protocols. Eidgahs will not be conducted at open grounds.