THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital district on Sunday recorded four more COVID-19 cases, including a 54-year-old Asha worker from Kulathummal. According to the health department, the woman was actively involved in the COVID-19 prevention programmes in the Kattakada panchayat, but the source of her infection remains unknown. The others who tested positive were returnees.
“The infected Asha worker was a member of the panchayat’s rapid response team. She was entrusted with the task of conducting house visits and recording the details of those under home quarantine. But no one in the houses she went to has tested positive yet. Her swab samples were taken on June 11,” said a statement from the district administration.
A 39-year-old Mulloor native who arrived from Karnataka by train, a 51-year-old Dubai returnee hailing from Parayamkunnu, and a 37-year-old Venjaramoodu native who arrived from Kuwait are the others who tested positive for the infection. Meanwhile, 21 more persons were admitted to various hospitals with COVID-19 symptoms, while 40 were discharged. A total of 167 persons are under surveillance at various hospitals and 14,871 are in home quarantine.
Attingal municipality seeks to quarantine expats locally
With cases of people violating quarantine and instances of inadequate facilities in houses, Attingal Municipality has requested the district administration permission to locally quarantine expatriates. The civic body’s intention is to quarantine residents in its institutional quarantine facilities so that sequestering will be effective.
At present, 85 people are under home quarantine in the municipality. “There have been instances of people coming home to minimal facilities. They are not exactly aware of the requirements. There are houses without separate bathrooms. This is not safe,” said M Pradeep, chairperson, Attingal Municipality. “Besides, neighbours of these home quarantined persons are worried that they may be infected,” he said.
“We may not be able to manage a huge number of people, but we can handle people from the municipality. Instead of institutional quarantine, we are asking for local quarantine where we can isolate them in our facilities,” he added. The government has recognised houses with sufficient quarantine facilities and meet certain criteria as institutional quarantine facilities, thus allowing returning expatriates to stay in isolation at their homes or dwellings of their choice.