Four new hotspots were added to Kerala's list of hotspots on Thursday.
New hotspots include Neyyattinkara municipality in Thiruvananthapuram, Oachira and Thrikkovilvattam panchayats in Kollam and Udayanapuram panchayat in Kottayam.
The state currently has 70 hotspots. There will be only one entry/exit points at hotspots.
Thiruvanthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam has 2, 12 and 17 active COVID-19 cases respectively. As on Thursday, the state had a total of 111 active cases.
Thiruvananthapuram
Wards 1 to 5, wards 40 to 44 and ward 37 in Neyyatinkara municipality have been declared hotspots by the District Collector. Shops selling essential goods will operate from 7am to 2pm at the hotspots. However, the collector assured that the district administration will ensure the smooth movement of good vehicles from the Tamil Nadu border.
Kollam
With the sudden surge of COVID-19 cases, the health department has sounded high alert in the district. Oachira and Thrikkovilvattam panchayats in Kollam have been named as the new hotspots in the district. A triple lockdown was earlier imposed at Chathannur panchayat of Kollam district after 2 health workers tested positive here. Stringent restrictions have also been imposed at Paripally and Kalluvathikkal regions.
Kottayam
With COVID-19 cases keeps on increasing, the Kerala government has designated Kottayam district as Red Zone. The hotspots Kottayam district include:
Kottayam municipality: Ward numbers 2, 16, 18, 20, 29, 36 and 37
Changanassery municipality: Ward number 33
Gram panchayats: Vijayapuram, Manacaud, Ayakunnam, Panachikkadu, Aymanam, Velloor, Thalayolapprambu, Udayanapuram and Melukavu
What are the restrictions?
•People should go out only for very urgent situations
•Those moving out should wear masks and practise social distancing
•Vehicles should be used only for extremely urgent situations
•Shops selling essential food commodities, medical shops, fuel pumps, LPG supply centres can function from 11 am to 5 pm
•Restaurants, bakeries and wayside eateries (thattukada) NOT allowed
•Community kitchens can function
•Journeys to and from hotspots for purposes other than medical and other emergencies NOT allowed
•Health, police, revenue, local self-governments, fire and rescue, civil supplies, water authority, and KSEB offices can function with minimum staff.
Strict restrictions in containment zones
• People should not go out
• Only two entry/exit points to the zone
• Pass issued by police or revenue officials a must for entry and exit
• Local body should ensure food and medicine supply to the needy through volunteers
• LPG distribution once in a week
• Only emergency services at Primary Health Centres
• No shops or institutions other than Public Distribution shops allowed
• Government departments should fix issues related to the supply of water and electricity.
The restrictions are being imposed in three tiers in all districts. The first tier, Red Zone, covers entire district.
The second tier is Hotspot, which comes under the Red Zone. The district administration can decide the hotspots based on inputs and data of virus spread. Even an area with a single case can become a hotspot. Stringent restrictions will be imposed in these zones.
The third tier is Containment zone, which comes under hotspot. Containment zone is the epicentre of the virus spread (residence of the positive case). Most stringent restrictions will be imposed here.
These restrictions may vary in each district. To know more on the Red Zone restrictions click here.
