THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the state capital witnessed a huge surge in contact transmission cases and entered the community transmission stage, instances of local spread also saw a steady rise across the state with Ernakulam showing a spike in such cases.In Thiruvananthapuram, 237 people contracted the disease through local spread, constituting 96 per cent of the total cases reported on Friday. Besides, the sources of infection of three health workers remains unknown.
Of the 115 people who tested positive in Ernakulam, 76 were cases of contact transmission. On a positive note, the spread in Ernakulam Market has been contained. A first-line treatment centre has been started in Chellanam panchayat, another worst-affected area.Pathanamthitta had 51 local transmission cases among the 87 people who tested positive, with the source of infection of five people remaining unknown. A total of 518 rapid antigen tests were conducted in the district of which 73 turned positive.
Alappuzha had 46 cases of local spread. Control rooms were opened and nodal officers appointed in Covid clusters at Kayamkulam, Kurathikkad, Nooranad, Pallithod and Ezhupunna. The ITBP barracks at Nooranad have been evacuated to prevent Covid spread.Kasaragod district saw 22 contact transmission cases among the 32 people who tested positive. Strict curbs were imposed on public transport in the district.
Of the 47 Covid cases in Kollam district, 20 were cases of local spread. The source of infection of nine persons remained unknown. Two more grama panchayats were added to the list of containment zones. As many as 15 contact transmission cases were reported from Kozhikode where 32 people were tested positive. Four entire grama panchayats, 11 wards in other three grama panchayats, 11 wards in Kozhikode Corporation and the entire Vadakara municipality are now classified as containment zones. Malappuram which once reported a considerable number of local transmission cases saw the number dwindle to eight on Friday. However, the source of infection of nine people remained unknown.
Wayand district reported eight cases of contact transmission. The government has deployed a new RT-PCR testing machine at the Public Health Lab at Sulthan Bathery and will be functional from next week. In Kannur nine people tested Covid positive. Of which two were contact transmission cases and the source of infection of one person remained unknown. New containment zones were declared in four areas of the district.
Idukki district reported four Covid cases and all were reported from Rajakkad - an epicentre of local spread. While two people were cases of contact transmission, the source of infection of one person was unknown.Thrissur had only one Covid positive case on Friday but the number of containment zones in the district has increased to 12.