18% cases in 1 week are kids & elderly

Thiruvananthapuram: Of the Covid-19 cases reported in the district in the past one week, children and elderly people constitute 18%. These include a baby as young as four-months-old to an 85-year-old woman, who was one among the 63 positive cases reported in the district on Monday.
With 95 of 521 cases in seven days being either children or elderly people who are regarded as highly vulnerable, the unhindered formation of clusters of cases in densely populated areas has thrown up glaring instances of compromise in reverse quarantine.The CM has been insisting on reverse quarantine of elderly population and also the need to protect children from infection.
A slight let up in caution had led to breaches in social distancing norms, setting off a community outbreak at Poonthura. The authorities now seem to have more tasks at hand with vulnerable persons in families constantly falling ill.
Poonthura has already reported its first death when a 66-year-old man who had been tested positive died on July 10. His son has also been tested positive for Covid-19. As many as 38 children aged 10 and below have been tested positive in seven days across different parts of the district; mostly from Poonthura and adjoining wards.
Four persons aged above 80 are under treatment for Covid-19 in the district; all having acquired infection through local transmission. As total of 15 persons are currently under treatment in the age category of 60-70. As many as 10 persons aged 70 and above are under treatment. Comorbidity has been a recurring factor in all the deaths reported in the district till date. Babies ageing a few months to two-year-old have also been tested positive for Covid-19 in the district.
Local body authorities and health team have been in talks regarding identifying vulnerable sections in areas declared as critical containment zones. However, a final action plan on isolation is yet to be derived. Meanwhile, people aged above 60 and with underlying health conditions are contracting infection in cluster outbreaks across the district, especially in coastal belts.
Raising concerns over the unbroken chain of transmission in coastal areas; fresh cases emerged from Poonthura, Beemapally, Kottapuram and Venganoor on Monday. Cases with unknown sources emerged from Chirayinkeezhu, Nedumangad and Anavoor on Monday. More city areas reported of Covid infection with cases surfacing at Pongumoodu, PMG and Thirumala. Indicative of spread in coastal community; Cheriyathura and Vallakadavu also reported cases.
Minor relaxations granted for lockdown in the city other than containment zones came into effect on Monday. With private offices and shops that sell non-essential items remaining shut, city wore a deserted look except for morning and evening hours. People were seen queuing up in front of grocery and vegetable shops and super markets from 7am to 12 noon and 4pm to 6pm when the sale was permitted.