Covid spreading fast in Secretariat, Minister Sivankutty turns positive, CM’s office partially closed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The third phase of Covid-19 is spreading fast in the capital city. The disease is fast spreading in the Secretariat. Minister V Sivankutty has turned positive of the virus and he has been admitted to a private hospital.

As more employees have contracted the disease, the Secretariat Central Library has been closed till January 23. Covid is also spreading in the offices of the forest and devaswom ministers. As of this morning, almost 80 employees have turned positive. The disease is fast spreading in CM's office also. The disease was confirmed on several people including the political secretary. Many are contracting the disease a second time. With this, the organizations have submitted a letter to the chief minister asking him to make arrangements for working hours in the Secretariat. The letter has demanded to implement work from home for those up to undersecretaries.

The virus is fast spreading in KSRTC also. 14 people were diagnosed with the disease at the Venjaramoodu depot the other day. Nine were confirmed of the virus at the Nedumangad depot yesterday.

Police on Sabarimala duty have also turned positive. Many including ADGP and SP were confirmed of the virus. Four cops of Kozhikode Valayam police station had turned positive. Additional sub inspector, ASI and two civil police officers have contracted the disease.

Seven doctors and four medical students of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital have turned positive. The Covid ward of the hospital is full of patients.

The spread of Covid across the state is rising sharply. For the second day in a row, the daily test positivity rate is above 30. Yesterday alone, 22,946 people were diagnosed with the disease. 69,373 tests were conducted yesterday. The current TPR rate in the state is 33.07 per cent. On Sunday, it was 30.55 per cent.

The disease is now spreading faster than in the second wave. The second wave peaked on May 12, when the TPR was 29.75 percent.