Strict COVID-19 curbs in Kerala from Saturday: Nine-day lockdown announced as state sees record spike

With Kerala reporting nearly 42,000 cases on Wednesday, the highest-ever single day spike, the state government announced a nine-day complete lockdown in the state from 8 May morning to curb the spread of the virus. The lockdown will come into force on 8 May morning and extend up to 16 May, according to official sources. Strict lockdown-like restrictions are already in place in the southern state and the Pinarayi Vijayan government decided to clamp the complete shutdown in the wake of a severe spike in the positive cases. According to a report in Mathurbhoomi, the govt announced the complete lockdown after the state police department reported that restrictions which came to effect on Tuesday, was not as effective as expected. “About 80 percent of the people were travelling unnecessarily. When the police questioned them, they were giving silly excuses, the police pointed out in the report tabled before DGP,” the report added. Earlier on Wednesday, after Kerala reported the highest-ever single day spurt in positive cases adding 41,953 infections, Vijayan had described the situation as serious and said stringent measures will have to be taken to curb the surge. The government  also announced several other decisions to strengthen the anti-COVID measures by deploying medical students and government officials to tackle the situation on the ground. “The state is going through a very serious situation and COVID is spreading rapidly. All figures are increasing and the test positivity rate is not reducing either. In these circumstances, we need to strengthen the restrictions,” Vijayan had said. The chief minister had also said that steps will be taken to convert lodges and hostels as Covid First-Line Treatment Centres (CFLTCs). Besides state government agencies like Consumerfed and Supplyco, political parties, NGOs, Overseas Malayalee Associations registered abroad and private agencies will be allowed to function as relief agencies. With the addition of the fresh infections on Wednesday, Kerala’s caseload has gone up to 17,43,932, while 23,106 people were cured of the infection, pushing the recoveries to 13.62 lakh. The chief minister had also urged the Centre to allot 500 MT oxygen as the first instalment from the current import quota and another 500 MT in the next phase. He had also sought oxygen tankers, PSA plants, oxygen concentrators and ventilators as possible on a high priority basis. He also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the state should be allotted 50 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 25 lakh doses of Covaxin. The Centre should take into account the number of people waiting for the second dose and those who have registered for the first dose while allocating vaccines to the states. According to another report in Mathrubhoomi, soon after the govt announced complete lockdown, the Indian Railways cancelled at least 30 train services citing poor occupancy. With inputs from PTI