In worrying signs of resurgence, Kerala recorded 4,070 new Covid-19 cases and 15 fatalities on Sunday. A total of 4,345 people recovered from the infection over the last 24 hours. The number of people to have fallen victim to the virus in the state is now at 4,089.

A total of 3,704 new cases were reported to have been transmitted through primary or secondary contacts. The test positivity rate in the state stood at 7.11%, with 57,241 samples tested in the last 24 hours.

At 552, Kozhikode reported the highest number of cases on Sunday, followed by Ernakulam at 514 and Kottayam at 440). As many as 29 health workers tested positive for the virus on Sunday.

According to a health bulletin released by the state government, no passenger from the UK tested positive over the last 24 hours. Among the 86 infected people to have arrived from Britain, 72 have recovered. Only 10 of them have reported the new variant of the virus.

The state, meanwhile, announced 8 new hotspots on Sunday.

Second Covid wave: Centre flags Alappuzha alert

Taking note of Alappuzha’s weekly test positivity rate, which is currently at 10.7%, the Centre has advised the Kerala government to focus more on the district. The state currently reports an average of 34,000 to 42,000 cases in a week. Saying that her government has adopted a scientific defence strategy against the virus, Health Minister KK Shailaja added that the death rate due to the virus is the lowest in Kerala. The state also records the highest number of daily recovery rates among patients.

Protocols ignored in gatherings: Kollam health department

As the number of cases spike in Kollam, the health department has pointed out that protocols were not followed in public gatherings or events. Recently, 54 officials at the Kottarakkara depot tested positive for the virus. More than 50 students who had travelled in the same bus also got infected. As a result, schools have shut down for a week. The rise in cases was observed in the district after the recent local body election. Kollam has recorded the highest number of patients in the state, according to Manorama Online. The health department has warned that further violation of protocols would result in a rise in cases that will be hard to contain.

Lockdown violations, Court summons violators

A local court has begun issuing summons to all the violators registered in the police stations under Nedumangad taluk. The Nedumangad police had filed more than 6500 cases for violating lockdown protocols. The violators are made to pay a fine depending on the extent of violation. Up to four crores can be collected from public violators of Covid protocols in Nedumangad, reports Madhyamam.

Airports on alert to stop COVID patients from fleeing

The health department is on high alert after repeated incidents showed that Covid patients and others, who were directed to undergo quarantine, did not follow protocols and tried to escape from the state. Recently, six persons were nabbed at the Cochin International Airport with the help of health officials and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. The district health department warned of strict action against violators after a similar incident happened on Friday, according to a news report.