THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kuttichal in Kattakada region reported a huge spike in Covid cases on Wednesday with 20 fresh cases - all who attended a funeral - on the day the district reported 266 fresh cases, including a death. The deceased is Mariyapuram native Kanakaraj, 50. Among the 266 cases, 255 are instances of local transmission.The cases in Kuttichal are the result of cluster formation after a person who attended a funeral in Mankuzhi, here, last week tested positive.
The Nedumangad native was staying at the house in Manguzhi for two days when the funeral and other rites were performed and he came into contact with people who visited the house on these days. As a result, 32 people who attended the funeral and visited the house the next day, tested positive, including the 20 on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a new limited cluster is in the making at Kamukincode where seven cases were reported from Kamukincode while six were reported from nearby Venpakal. In Parassala, fresh cases were reported from Parasuvaikkal and Kottamam regions.
The district also reported 180 recoveries on the day. As many as 646 people were put under observation in the district on the day as part of Covid containment efforts. A total of 2,891 people are under hospital isolation. As many as 16,205 people are under home quarantine.
On Wednesday, 266 people were newly admitted in hospitals with symptoms and 166 patients were discharged. 642 samples were sent for testing. 818 results were received on the day. 31 people who needed psychological support called the mental health helpline. 2,099 people in quarantine were called and offered mental support. A total of 687 people are under institutional quarantine in 72 centres in the district.
Central depot not to open today
Thiruvananthapuram central depot of KSRTC will not be operational on Thursday due to disinfection works. A staffer who tested positive for Covid was on duty on Monday. All buses that arrive at the depot from other depots will have to be parked in the area allotted to the interstate buses to Nagercoil on Thursday.
KSRTC driver consumes hand sanitiser
Kasaragod: A KSRTC driver was admitted to Kannur Medical College Hospital at Pariyaram in Kannur after he consumed hand sanitiser, said police. Shibu, 45, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, was found incapacitated by passersby near the Kasaragod KSRTC depot on Tuesday night. They rushed him to General Hospital where he told doctors that he consumed sanitiser. The doctors referred him to Pariyaram. Shibu lived out of the waiting room of the KSRTC depot. But the depot was shut on Tuesday night after three staff tested positive for Covid, and the area was turned into a containment zone. Police said he was out of danger.