MALAPPURAM: The rising number of Covid patients who have contracted the disease through local contact has raised concern among health department officials in the district. Nine people who have tested positive since Friday got the infection through contact.
A 22-year-old person, a native of West Bengal and a 50-year-old person from Manjeri were infected through contact on Sunday. The West Bengal native contracted the disease from another person from his state, who was living with him at Chemmad and later tested positive for Covid-19.
The 50-year-old got infected from an Assam native, who was living in Manjeri and later admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri. An 80-year-old man wandering in Edappal area and a 43-year-old arrested in a theft case on June 2 by the Kuttippuram police were found to be infected through contact on Saturday. Five others contracted the virus through contact on Friday.
Of them, a 27-year-old person, a native of Anakkayam, is a staff nurse at Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri; a 48-year-old woman is an Asha worker from Manjeri and a 30-year-old person from Anakkayam is an employee with a private lab at Manjeri.
The health authorities have restricted the entry of people to Manjeri area. “As many as 13 wards in Manjeri municipality and Tirurangadi municipality, and ward 21 of Anakkayam panchayat have been declared as containment zones. People in these areas should not go out of the house except for availing of essential services. Also, people from other areas should not enter these zones.
Grocery stores can be opened from 7am to 7pm. Parcel services will be allowed in restaurants in the zones,” said a health department official. “We have started tracing those who have come into contact with the infected persons. However, people should be vigilant. People should wear masks while going out and wash hands at regular intervals,” the official added.