Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's curve of fresh cases showed a spike again with seven more testing coronavirus positive on Thursday. On Wednesday, there was only one positive case.
The new patients are from: Kannur-4 , Kozhikode -2 , Kasaragod – 1.
Out of the seven, five are foreign returnees and the remaining got it through a primary contact, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here.
As many as 27 patients recovered on Thursday. Twenty-four of these are in Kasaragod and one each from Ernakulam, Kannur and Malappuram districts. Kerala has the highest rate of COVID-19 recovery.
Kerala has reported a total of 394 COVID-19 cases. Of them, 147 are undergoing treatment.
A total of 88,805 people are under observation in the state. Of them, 88,332 have been home quarantined and 532 hospitalised.
As many as 108 people were hospitalised on Thursday. Of the 16,475 samples tested, 16,002 returned negative.
Pinarayi said that the state will implement the general guidelines given by the Centre and a complete shut down will be followed in the areas marked as COVID-19 hotspots. However, the chief minister said the state has not found the centre's division of hotspots as satisfactory and would like to consider the four northern districts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram as one hotspot.
Easing lockdown
Starting from April 20, the 14 districts in Kerala will be divided into four different zones for implementing of lockdown curbs.
From April 20, while Idukki and Kottayam districts may witness normal life, within the Centre's directive till May 3, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad may witness partial lifting of lockdown measures.
In case of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam districts, restrictions would be strictly observed till April 24, said Pinarayi.
The decision had been taken after reviewing COVID-19 situation in the state, Pinarayi said and hoped the Centre would give the state permission for that.
In districts with few positive cases, hotspots would be identified and entry and exit from there would be monitored, he said and added, in other places, restricted movements would be allowed.
The districts, like Kasargode, Kannur, Malappuram and Kozhikode, would remain in lockdown till May 3, he said.
Pinarayi said after April 20, construction, small traders, cooperatives, farming, food processing outlets, plantation sector, clinics would be allowed under strict social distancing norms.
Odd-Even for vehicles
For the movement of vehicles, the government has decided to implement 'odd & even' formula, but vehicles driven by women has been exempted.
He said all offices would be cleaned and disinfected before opening and the migrant labourers in camps could be employed for this.
He insisted that all those who are getting out of their homes should wear masks. Even all those who recovered from COVID-19, should be quarantined at home for 14 days.
The Kerala Police on Thursday registered 2,941 cases, arresting 2,863 people and impounding 2,048 vehicles for breaking curfew norms.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India meanwhile stand at 12,380 and the death toll at 414. As many as 941 fresh cases and 37 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours in the country, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said.
