THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Covid-19 updates from the capital district on Sunday have set alarm bells ringing among the district’s officials. The district recorded 27 cases, of which 22 had contracted the virus through direct or indirect contact. Those infected includes a one-year-old and a 70-year-old. According to an official statement, the sources of infection of two cases — that of a 65-year-old and an eight-year-old girl — remain unknown.
Those who got infected through local transmission include two fishermen hailing from Pulluvila and Poonthura; engaged in fishing from Vizhinjam harbor; a nursery school teacher at West Fort; a milk vendor who runs a stall on West Fort-Airport road; two more fish vendors at Kumarichantha; a nurse and a pharmacist at a private hospital at Attukal; and a 70-year-old tea vendor at Attukal-Manacaud road.
“What makes the situation grim in the district is that those who contracted the virus include persons having high social engagement. Preparation of route maps and contact tracing will prove a daunting challenge for the officials concerned,” said a source from the district administration. On Sunday, 971 people were brought under surveillance in the district. A total 39 people were hospitalised with Covid-19 like symptoms on the day.
Aggressive testing at Poonthura
The authorities are planning to launch aggressive testing at Poonthura by setting up a temporary swab collection centre for antigen testing. However, the lack of human resources is also becoming a major challenge for health authorities. “Around 13 mobile lab teams have been deployed in the district for swab collection in containment zones. We will be assigning more vehicles at Poonthura. We are planning to mobilise more human resources for swab collection,” said the official. According to authorities, the antigen test is far better and accurate than the antibody test deployed at airports.