Highest single-day COVID-19 spike in Kerala: 211 new infections on Friday, 201 recover

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala recorded 211 new COVID infections on Friday, the highest single-day spike after coronavirus first entered the state in March this year.

This was the first time that fresh infections in a day crossed the 200-mark. The previous highest of 195 positive cases was recorded last Saturday.

Nevertheless, the state can take solace in the fact that it recorded 201 recoveries on Friday.

Here's the district-wise breakup of today's positive cases:

Kasaragod: 7

Kannur: 18

Wayanad: 1

Kozhikode: 14

Malappuram: 35

Palakkad: 14

Thrissur: 21

Ernakulam: 17

Idukki: 2

Kottayam: 14

Alappuzha: 21

Pathanamthitta: 7

Kollam: 23

Thiruvananthapuram: 17

District-wise breakup of patients cured today:

Kasaragod: 12

Kannur: 13

Wayanad: 10

Kozhikode: 11

Malappuram: 10

Palakkad: 68

Thrissur: 5

Ernakulam: 20

Kottayam: 16

Alappuzha: 22

Pathanamthitta: 7

Thiruvananthapuram: 5

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dropped enough hints that the number would increase in the coming days while briefing the media on the COVID-19 scenario in the state on Friday. "The number of cases has increased in all districts and surveillance has been tightened," he said.

Twenty-seven contracted the disease through contact on Friday. While 138 came from abroad, 39 came from neighbouring states. Seven CISF personnel were also infected.

Kerala currently has 2098 active COVID-19 patients, while 2,839 patients have been cured so far.

Vijayan said the situation is grave in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Ponnani Taluk in Malappuram district.

Policeman positive in Thiruvanathapuram, source unknown

In Thiruvananthapuram, a police personnel, who was on duty at the Secretariat, tested positive for COVID-19. This has raised panic as the health officials could not trace his source of infection.

The policeman was admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms on June 28. The health department has launched a mission to identify the persons the policeman came in contact with in the last few days.

Vijayan said restrictions will be tightened in Thiruvananthapuram and requested people to avoid all non-essential travels. "Curbs will be tightened in the Secretariat and official meetings will be limited," he said.

He said sentinel survey has begun in Ponnani Taluk. “This is being done to know whether there is a community spread. As many as 980 samples have been tested so far," he said.

75 hospital staff in quarantine in Kochi

Seventy five employees of the Government General Hospital in Ernakulam have been asked to go on quarantine after a woman, who is being treated there, tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

However, the antigen tests on 25 staff have returned negative.

The COVID-confirmed woman is a resident of Chellanam in Kochi.

'Patients not enemies'

Citing news reports that people who returned from abroad and other parts of the country faced harsh treatments back home, chief minister said we should not consider patients as enemies. “Our enemy is the disease. Anyone can get this disease," he said.

He also asked people to refrain from annoying those who live under quarantine. "Strict action will be taken against violators," he said.

Three contact cases in Malappuram

Malappuram recorded the highest number of cases on Friday. Of the 35 cases, 29 are returnees from abroad and three from other states. The remaining three contracted the disease through contact. A 56-year-old man contracted the virus through contact with a Palemad native who tested positive on June 19. A woman (36) of Kanjiramukku, who works at the Edappal hospital, contracted the virus after coming to contact with a doctor of the hospital who had tested positive on June 28. The third patient ho contracted the disease through contact is a one-year-old boy of Ayilakkad who had been admitted to the Sukapuram hospital, Edappal. A doctor and two nurses of the hospital had tested positive on June 28.

Of the 35 cases counted in the district's list, eight are admitted to Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital and four in Ernakulam Medical College Hospital.

Kollam reported 23 cases, but there are no contact cases. All the 23 are imported cases; 17 from abroad and six from other states.

11 of a family positive in Alappuzha

On the other hand, 12 of the 21 cases reported in Alappuzha contracted the disease through contact. All but one of the 12 cases are family members and relatives of a Kayamkulam native who tested positive on June 29. They include a 46-year-old woman of Cheruthana and her daughter, a 54-year-old man, two young men, two young women, three girls and one boy of Kayamkulam.

A pregnant woman of Arattupuzha tested positive as her samples were tested as part of her treatment.

Thrissur also reported 21 cases, including one who contracted the virus through contact. Twelve are returnees from abroad and eight from other states. A 15-year-old boy at Irinjalakuda tested positive. He was in the contact list of a councillor who had tested positive recently.

Six CISF officers test positive

Eighteen more cases were confirmed in Kannur. Of them, 11 are returnees from abroad and one from Delhi. Six CISF personnel also contracted the virus. Of them three are Keralites and the remaining three are from Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

In Ernakulam, 17 people tested positive. They include three contact cases. Two of them are relatives of two kids who returned from Delhi and one is a relative of a Bengaluru returnee.

Of the 14 cases in Palakkad, two contracted the virus through contact. They are the mother and sister of a Thachanattukara native who tested positive on June 24 after her returned from Saudi.

Kottayam -- Eight from abroad and six from other states

Kozhikode -- 11 from abroad, one from Mumbai and three contact

Kasaragod -- Seven from abroad

Wayanad -- One from abroad

Idukki -- One from UAE, one from Tamil Nadu