Kerala imposes complete weekend lockdown amid surge in COVID-19 cases

Amid a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Kerala, the state has imposed a complete weekend lockdown on Sunday.

The Kerala government on Thursday had announced a complete lockdown amid the spike of COVID-19 cases from July 31 to August 01, this year.

Streets remained deserted in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi with only shops selling essential commodities allowed to remain open.

Kerala with an active caseload of 1.54 lakh is contributing 37.1 percent of the total active cases in the country, with a growth rate of 1.41 in the last 7 days, reports said.

The average daily cases being reported in the state are above 17,443. The state has also reported a high case positivity of 12.93 percent cumulatively and 11.97 percent weekly. Six districts are reporting more than 10 percent of weekly positivity, said state health officials.

Amid the rising cases in Kerala, the Centre government sent a team of six members headed by Dr. S K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The Centre's team has been sent to collaborate with the State Health Authorities in instituting effective public health measures for COVID-19 management.

Meanwhile, the six-member high-level multidisciplinary team that went to Kerela following the state's sudden spurt in Covid-19 cases is scheduled to visit ten districts.

On Saturday, the team had reached Alpuzha and is on the grounds. The team will visit the worst affected, mainly southern and northern districts of the state which are reporting more positive cases, informed an official while talking to ANI.

The official added, "The visit will be followed by a briefing with the Chief Secretary of the state and secretaries of various other departments on August 2. Other officials will also attend the briefing online."

( With inputs from ANI )