THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state has sounded the alarm about the possibility of community transmission of Covid-19 as 67 people tested positive for the disease in the state on Tuesday. This is the highest number of positive cases recorded in a single day in the state even as 10 people recovered from the viral infection. Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters that the state was on the verge of a community transmission of Covid-19.
“We haven’t reached the stage of community transmission, but we should be aware that the disease can reach the stage anytime if we do not adopt strict measures,” he warned. Among the cases reported on Tuesday, Palakkad recorded the highest number of cases at 29 followed by Kannur (8), Kottayam (6), Malappuram and Ernakulam (5 each), Thrissur and Kollam (4 each), and Kasaragod and Alappuzha (three each).
As many as 27 new patients are returnees from abroad while seven contracted the virus locally. Among the others, 15 came from Maharashtra, nine from Tamil Nadu, five from Gujarat, two from Karnataka and one each from Puducherry and Delhi. Nine new local body wards were declared hotspots in the state, taking the total number to 68.
The total number of people underobservation for Covid-19 crossed one lakh and stood at 1,04,336. The chief minister said the number of tests for Covid-19 will be increased. The government will also consider testing entire sections of people who are vulnerable to the virus. Testing for Covid-19 is being carried out at 20 centres in the state.
NRKs must pay for quarantine
Expatriates returning to the state will have to pay for seven days’ institutional quarantine from now on, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
27 returnees from abroad were among the 67 new cases on Tuesday.