Kerala reported 794 new Covid-19 cases on Monday taking the total number of patients to 13,274 even as local transmission continues unabated in the state. The state capital Thiruvananthapuram, which is under lockdown for more than two weeks, bore the maximum brunt with 182 fresh cases. With one more death, the toll has gone up to 45 in the state.

Among those infected are 15 health workers and four policemen, said state health minister K K Shailaja adding it was a big concern that frontline workers are getting infected in large numbers. She asked health officials to take immediate measures to avoid infection of frontline workers.

Capital city Thiruvananthapuram and many parts of the district are under lockdown for the last two weeks and it will continue till July 28. Similarly triple lockdown is in force in coastal areas of the district after a massive spurt in Covid-19 cases. Despite strict measures numbers are going up steadily and community transmission has already been reported in two fishing hamlets of the district.

Of the 13,724 cases, active cases are 7,611 and recovered patients amount to 5,618. Among the active cases worst-hit Thiruvananthapuram district has the highest number of 2,006 cases. Earlier, imported cases were higher but slowly local cases came up in large numbers giving enough hint of a secondary transmission in the state.

“The recent surge was expected. We have special Covid-19 hospitals in each of the districts. We will increase their numbers and beds as cases go up. Besides this we have 28 first line treatment centres also,” she said adding the state is ready to face the situation. The state’s second plasma bank will come up in Wayanad in north Kerala. The first plasma bank was opened in Malappuram district last week.