Fears of another spike as 1,107 new cases emerge

A test positivity rate of 8.5% was also registered in the district

Sparking fears of yet another spike, the COVID-19 caseload continued to rise unabated as 1,107 cases were recorded on Saturday.

While 856 people recovered from the illness, the active cases count stood at 10,873. A test positivity rate of 8.5% was also registered.

A total of 30,390 people were placed in quarantine in the district as part of the pandemic management efforts. The death toll rose to 3,172 with 17 more deaths being attributed to COVID-19 in Thiruvananthapuram district.

20-lakh milestone

The district’s COVID-19 vaccination drive crossed another milestone with 20,86,755 doses of the vaccine being distributed. While 14,54,219 people have received the first dose, as many as 6,32,536 people have been provided both jabs, according to official statistics.

District Collector Navjot Khosa said special drives were being undertaken to ensure bedridden patients, those residing in remote tribal settlements and old-age homes, migrant labourers, transgender people, and pregnant women, were inoculated.

The district administration has undertaken a Santhwana Suraksha scheme to ensure vaccination coverage among bedridden patients. Vaccine was being provided to such sections in their houses. Among the 28,892 people who have registered for palliative care, 15,137 people have received the vaccine.

A total of 11,097 tribal people have received the first COVID-19 vaccine dose under the Sahya Suraksha scheme.

While all inmates of the 68 old-age homes in the district have received the first dose, the second one was being administered currently. As many as 843 out of the total 1,340 children in 38 BUDS schools have also received the vaccine.

While 56 out of the 160 transgender people in the district have been received the first dose thus far, the district health officials have been able to inoculate 619 migrant workers too. Under the Mathrukavacham programme to vaccinate pregnant women, 1,245 women have been administered the first dose.

Quarantine violation

The City police charged provisions of the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance and Kerala Public Health Act against four COVID-19-infected people who violated quarantine norms and left their homes.

Two cases were registered in the Fort police stations, while there were one each in Karamana and Poonthura police station limits. The police initiated legal measures against 593 people until 4 p.m. on Saturday. Among them, 107 people were booked under the Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance, 2020. A cumulative fine of ₹93,000 was collected from 177 people who failed to wear masks outdoor and nine others who violated physical distancing norms.

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