Coronavirus: In a first, Kerala confirms community transmission in coastal areas

Thiruvananthapuram, July 18: In a first, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday admitted that community transmission of Covid-19 has occurred in two coastal hamlets of capital Thiruvananthapuram and asked people to be extra vigilant.

"The situation is very serious in some parts of coastal Thiruvananthapuram, where the spread has been fast. Community spread is happening in areas like Pullivula, Poonthura," Vijayan said.

"In 97 samples tested in Pulluvila in Karinkulam panchayat, 51 are positive. In 50 samples tested at Poonthura Ayush centre, 26 are positive. In Puthukurissery, 20 out of 75 samples are positive. In Anchuthengu, 15 out of 83 samples came back positive. These are signs that the spread of the disease is extreme," Vijayan added.

In the wake of the pandemic spread, Thiruvananthapuram's coastal regions will be divided into three zones will continue to remain under lockdown.

However, the Chief Minister as ruled out enforcing a complete lockdown.

"There will be only cluster-based lockdown now and we are not thinking of full lockdown. I can assure you that the situation is as expected and we are prepared to handle it. We were able to contain the spread till now," he added.

Kerala's total confirmed cases reached 11,066 on Friday, and 6,029 of them are active cases. There are 791 new covid-19 cases on Friday, the highest daily hike so far, 532 of them through local transmission. The source of infection in 42 cases are still unknown.

Community transmission means that the disease is in its third stage and the source of its origin is not known. It is now present in the community and can infect people with no history - either of travel to or contact with infected people and areas. At this point, everyone is susceptible to catching it.

India has reported over a million cases so far including over 25,000 deaths. The country is on the third spot on the list of worst coronavirus-hit nations. The centre, however, has not declared that the nation has entered the community transmission stage.