Capital sees 332 cases for the day

Thiruvananthapuram’s COVID-19 caseload witnessed a downward trend with 332 testing positive for the infection on Monday. The slump, however, could not be construed as an improvement of the pandemic situation in the worst-affected district in the State.

Testing appeared to have fallen considerably down to 256 from 580 a day ago. Besides, while 658 test reports were received on Sunday, this too fell to 395.

Nonetheless, local transmission accounted for as many as 330 cases, i.e., over 99% of the fresh cases. Only the cases of two Tamil Nadu natives were treated as imported ones. Sixteen health workers also acquired the infection.

Fifty five cases have also been recorded with unknown sources of infection. These included those reported from Poonthura, Valiyasala, Mukkolakkal, Pattom, Nemom, Manacaud, Ambalathara, Balaramapuram, Anaraya, Kalliyoor, Parassala, Dhanuvachapuram, Amaravila, Nedumangad, Vembayam and Vizhinjam.

Three more deaths – those of a 13-year old girl who hailed from Poojappura, a 59-year old Neyyattinkara native and a 60-year old Poozhanad native – have been attributed to the disease, taking the district’s death toll to 149. As many as 415 recovered cases were also reported on the day.

KWA MD tests positive

S. Venkatesapathy, Managing Director, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has tested positive for COVID-19. The offices situation in the CCU building at Jala Bhavan – the KWA headquarters here – were closed for disinfection on Monday. The KWA staff who have come into direct contact with Mr. Venkatesapathy after September 9 have been advised to go into quarantine. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, KWA officials said.

Containment zones

The district administration declared containment zones in Kadinamkulam and Puthenthope South wards in Kadinamkulam grama panchayat, Palliyara ward in Mudakkal grama panchayat, Kattackal ward in Manickal grama panchayat, Anavoor ward in Kunnathukal grama panchayat, Pedikulam ward in Pulimath grama panchayat and Pulliyil ward in Balaramapuram grama panchayat. The existing containment zone that had been declared in Punnakamughal ward in Thiruvananthapuram corporation has been limited to VPS 204 lane in Vattavila.

The containment zone that was declared in Vazhottukonam in Thiruvananthapuram corporation has been withdrawn.