Thiruvananthapuram: The health department has called for more vigil in Kottayam, Palakkad and Kannur as the contact transmission cases in these districts are on the rise.

High infection rate continues to be reported from Malappuram, Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram, and Ernakulam districts, the health department’s report pointed out as per the assessment based on the data collected till August 14.

The test positivity rate in Malappuram is at 12.5 per cent. The positivity rate rose to 4.3 per cent in Kannur, and 4.9 per cent in Kottayam.

The transmission rate in Thrissur, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts have reduced.

Testing at panchayat level

Those with cold/fever need to undergo medical examination at the panchayat level itself.

Not much disease spread was recorded among those who sought treatment after suffering from cold/fever and lung ailments; and among health workers, cops, merchants, and migrant workers during June-July.

Of the 3,810 people, who sought treatment for cold/fever in June, only five tested positive for COVID-19. And only six confirmed cases were reported after tests conducted on 7,805, suffering from cold/fever in July.

The positivity rate in April was at 0.1 per cent, and it rose to just 0.59 per cent in July. The disease transmission outside the clusters were very less.

However, the disease transmission was found to be rapid among the co-travellers of those who tested positive after returning from abroad and asymptomatic returnees.

Sentinel surveillance

A steep rise in the COVID-19 cases was reported during the sentinel surveillance conducted among those who are not in direct contact with the infected.

The sentinel surveillance gives an indication of how the next stage of the disease spread would be.

In July, 208 people tested positive when 35,038 samples were tested taking the positivity rate to 0.59 per cent. In the previous month, the positivity rate was at 0.22% as only 38 tested positive after 17,079 samples were tested. Only seven tested positive in May and two in April.

In July, the most number of positive cases from sentinel surveillance group emerged from Pathanamthitta (31), Kasaragod (29), Ernakulam (20) and Kottayam (20). However, in June, Malappuram (16) and Thrissur (15) districts topped the list.

The positivity rate in the tests conducted among health workers at non-COVID hospitals was at 0.64 per cent. The rate among those who closely interacted with inter-state truck drivers was at 1.29 per cent and 0.77 per cent among people who were involved in activities with risk of high exposure.

5,000 daily cases by mid-September

Kerala is likely to witness a maximum of 5,000 cases daily by mid-September. The numbers would decline after that, according to the projection analysis carried out by the state disaster management authority based on the current scenario.

The authority's projection that the number of COVID infected could rise to 75,000 by mid-September is poised to come true.

However, Health Minister K K Shylaja had said the other day that daily cases in Kerala could rise up to 10,000-20,000 in the coming weeks.