Thiruvananthapuram: For the last seven days, Kerala has been setting new records in the number of new COVID-19 infections. And Saturday was no exception.

On this day, the state registered 240 infections, the highest single-day spike ever since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March this year.

This list will show you the steady rise in infections.

On June 28, the state had 118 new cases. The number rose to 122 on June 29; 131 on June 30; 151 on July 1; 160 on July 2 and 211 on July 3. The steady increase has corroborated Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's warning on Friday that fresh cases would surge in the coming days.

Of the positive cases today, 17 had contracted the disease through contact. While 152 came from abroad, 52 came from neighbouring states.

District-wise breakup of today's positive cases:

Malappuram - 37

Kannur - 35

Palakkad - 29

Pathanamthitta – 22

Alappuzha -20

Thrissur - 20

Thiruvananthapuram - 16

Kollam - 16

Kasaragod - 14

Ernakulam - 13

Kozhikode - 8

Kottayam - 6

Idukki 2

Wayanad – 2

As many as 209 patients were cured of the disease on Saturday.

District-wise breakup of patients cured are:

Kasaragod: 6

Kannur: 16

Malappuram: 6

Palakkad: 44

Thrissur: 10

Ernakulam: 7

Idukki: 2

Kottayam: 9

Alappuzha: 36

Pathanamthitta: 20

Kollam: 38

Thiruvananthapuram: 15

The rising number of infection through contact remains a matter of concern in the state. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday said community transmission of the novel coronavirus is a reality in Kerala. IMA president Abraham Varghese told Manorama Online that the association has already conveyed its finding to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The IMA listed three reasons for its conclusion about community transmission. One, the number of source-less infections keeps rising; two, even healthcare professionals who have not treated COVID patients get infected, and three, asymptomatic Keralites who travel to other states test positive there.

The IMA is of the opinion that the circumstances in Kerala even call for another round of lockdown. The association has urged the state government to raise the number of tests and intensify screening among healthcare workers.

Perhaps Thiruvananthapuram gives the most scary picture. Of the 16 cases in the district, four contracted the disease through contact but their sources of infection have not been identified.

A 31-year-old native of Kallattumukku who works at Kumarichantha fish market is one of them. A Zomato food delivery boy is also among the infected. A native of Eravoor, Kunnathukal, the 37-year-old used to distribute food in and around Palayam. He lives in a lodge behind Palayam fish market. He had gone in home quarantine as he developed symptoms. The other two patients who contracted the virus through contact live near Poonthura police station. One of them is a 66-year-old man who has no travel history. He had been home quarantined following symptoms.

The other Poonthura native is a medical representative. The 27-year-old man had visited the hospitals near Kazhakoottam and KJJ Hospital at Nalanchira.

The lone contact case in Malappuram on Saturday is a nine-year-old boy of Vattamkulam who had come into contact with the paediatrician of a hospital in Edappal who had tested positive on June 28. The remaining 36 cases are imported ones – 32 from abroad and four from other states.

Kannur reported 35 cases. They include 11 staff of the Defence Security Corps (DSC) and four members of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). They have not been counted as either imported cases or contact cases in the state release.

Twenty-nine cases were confirmed in Palakkad. Of them, 19 are returnees from abroad and eight from other states. A 45-year-old native of Eramayaoor and his 13-year-old daughter contracted the disease through contact. His wife and son had tested positive on June 22 after they returned from Tamil Nadu.
Alappuzha also reported two contact cases. Two pregnant women of Thuravoor and Ezhupunna tested positive. The source of their infection has not been ascertained. Of the 20 cases in the district, 14 are returnees from abroad and four from other states.

Four BSF soldiers are among the 20 new cases reported in Thrissur. The soldiers belong to the Kainoor camp. The district also reported three contact cases. The district administration said it would provide institutional quarantine for other soldiers. Fifty rooms will be made available.

Of the 16 cases in Kollam, two have no travel history. One of them is an 81-year-old man of Pulamon. He had visited the Gokulam medical college on June 24, 29 and 30. As per preliminary investigation, he had visited some shops in Kottarakkara and a bakery at Kunnikode. A 33-year-old native of Neendakara also tested positive without any travel history. He runs a shop at Pulamon junction.

Ernakulam reported 13 cases and six of them are contact cases whose sources of infection have not been identified.

Pathanamthitta – 17 from abroad and five from other states

Kasaragod – Eight from abroad, six from other states

Kozhikode – Eight from abroad

Kottayam – Five from abroad and one from Pune

Currenly, there are 1,77,759 people under observation in the state. Among them, 1,74,844 people are in home or institutional quarantine and 2,915 people are in hospitals.

More containment zones

Thirteen new hotspots were added on Friday and seven places removed from the list. Presently, there are 135 hotspots in Kerala.

Kozhikode Corporation's 44th division was newly added to the list of containment zones after a trader tested positive for the virus in the area.

High alert has been sounded in Thiruvananthapuram to contain the COVID-19 spread with District Collector Dr Navjot Khosa declaring more areas as containment zones.

A police personnel was among the 17 people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Thiruvananthapuram district on Friday. The cop, of the Nandavanam AR camp, was on guard duty at the secretariat. Curbs have been intensified at the secretariat.

Apart from him, the disease was confirmed in three people in the corporation limits. They are residents of Poonthura, Manacaud, and Paravilla.

A fish vendor of the market at Ambalathara was also among the infected.

Areas lately declared as containment zones in Thiruvananthapuram include Chemmaruthi Mukku (fifth ward) in Nagaroor Panchayat, Kuravara (10th ward) in Ottasekharamangalam Panchayat, Vaniyacode (18th ward) and Injivila (16th ward), both in Parassala Panchayat.

Some areas in Poonthura ward, and the Vazhuthoor ward in Neyyattinkara municipality, and Thaliyil ward in Balaramapuram panchayat have also been declared as containment zones.

Kochi on alert

The police have intensified checks and issued a warning that strict action will be taken against lockdown violators in Kochi amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. The cops also cautioned people against venturing out needlessly.

The police carried out checks at Kaloor, MG Road, Palarivattom and Champakara market on Saturday morning. Several people were detained for violating regulations, but they were later let off with a stern warning.

The police have stepped up vigil in the area. Corporation secretary said that strict action will be taken against the drivers of cargo vehicles from other states, arriving at the market, without adequate safety precautions.

Hospital staff quarantined

Fifteen staff members of the Indira Gandhi Hospital at Kadavanthra in Kochi have been put in quarantine after the disease was confirmed in a patient who had been to the out-patient ward two days ago. The patient, who was at home, has been moved to the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital

The Indira Gandhi hospital has been disinfected.