Tighter restrictions, police deployment to monitor protocol in Kerala as COVID-19 cases surge

In light of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases being reported in Kerala, the state government on Wednesday decided to impose tight restrictions and deploy police to monitor compliance with COVID-19 protocol.

On Tuesday, as many as 6,293 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Kerala, the highest in the country. The total number of active and recoveries cases in the state are 71,607 and 8,24,446 respectively, the state health department informed.

As per a statement, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a review meeting said that the government is working to reduce the spread of the disease by mid-February.

"The meeting assessed that the loosening of controls and the general lack of vigilance were the reasons for the spread of COVID-19," the statement said, adding that those who participated in the meeting observed that the situation can get worse if the regulations are not strictly adhered to.

Restrictions will be more stringent on the contentment zones.

"The number of Covid tests should be increased to one lakh per day. Of this 75 per cent will be RT-PCR testing," the Chief Minister suggested.

People working in camps where guest workers live and centres where workers work together (plantations and cashew factories) will be tested.

The statement cited a study conducted by the Department of Community Medicine, Medical College, and said that 56 per cent of cases are reported from inside the home.

"About 20 per cent of cases are transmitted from markets, shopping malls, restaurants and meeting places. About 20 per cent of cases are transmitted from the workplace, while sixty-five per cent of those infected do not follow socially distancing as 45 per cent do not wear a mask.," the statement said.

About 30 per cent of asymptomatic people are infected and about five per cent of children get the disease from school.

Participants of the meeting included Health Minister KK Shailaja, the Chief Secretary, top officials of the Health Department and members of the COVID expert committee.

( With inputs from ANI )