KOCHI:In what is viewed as bad tidings for the district, Ernakulam on Saturday witnessed 14 new positive cases. Raising concerns, a driver working at a private commercial establishment also tested positive for Covid-19 in the district. He is a 20-year-old, Chelakkara, Thrissur, native who works as a driver in Powerlite Electricals here.According to the health department, the officials are tracking the source of the infection. “As of now, we are investigating. We have found out that many staffers of the company stay near the building itself and it is a thickly populated area,” said a health official.
Among the other positive cases, most of them are Kuwait returnees. A 55-year-old Vyttila native, who arrived on June 13, 29-year-old Koonamavu native, who arrived on June 13, 50-year-old Palluruthy native, who arrived on June 19, 41-year old Chullikal native, who arrived on June 14, 25-year-old Edappally native, who arrived on June 13, 52-year-old Kalamassery native who arrived on June 13, 29-year-old Kuttampuzha native who arrived on June 18 and 34-year-old Parakkadavu native who arrived on June 22 from Kuwait tested positive. A 48-year-old Kothamangalam native who came from Secunderabad and a 56-year-old Tamil Nadu native who arrived from Delhi on June 24 are also among those who tested positive.
Three persons, including two children, belonging to the contact list of the 14-year-old boy, who tested positive on Friday, are among the positive cases. A 41-year-old, a 16-year-old, and a seven-year-old are those tested positive. According to the health officials, the 14-year-old belongs to the contact list of the Nayarambalam native, who tested positive recently, following which swabs of those in the contact list were sent for testing and three became positive.A 40-year-old Kollam native who tested positive on June 17 recovered from Covid-19 and got discharged. A total of 168 persons are undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in the district.
2,880 repatriates to arrive today
Kochi: Around 16 evacuation flights carrying 2,880 passengers will land at Kochi airport on Sunday. The scheduled flights include an Air India flight from London. On Saturday, 17 evacuation flights carrying 3,450 passengers reached Kochi. The flights included an Azur Air flight from Kiev in Ukraine. A SpiceJet flight from Ras Al Khaima, UAE, was cancelled. The team from HLL Lifecare, engaged to conduct rapid antibody tests at the airport, screened 235 passengers on Friday and 38 passengers on Saturday.
Two more containment zones declared in district
Kochi: The district administration on Saturday declared a 100m radius of Powerlite Electricals at Ernakulam Market junction and ward eight of Parakkadavu panchayat as containment zones. It was after a staffer of Powerlite Electricals tested positive for Covid 19 that the district administration declared the area as a containment zone. “We are tracing the primary contacts of the person. Since he is a resident of Thrissur, his travel history needs to be traced. Within a few days we will prepare the final list,” said S Sreedevi, Additional District Medical Officer. Meanwhile, ward eight of Parakkadavu panchayat was declared a containment zone after a 13-year-old girl who arrived from Madhya Pradesh tested positive on Friday. “Other four family members of the 13-year-old girl also tested positive on Saturday,” Sreedevi added.