Kerala revises COVID-19 regulations, full lockdown on July 31 and Aug 1

Mangalore Today News Network

Thiruvananpuram, Jul 29, 2021: The Kerala government has revised COVID-19 guidelines, allowing photo studios to now open on permitted days in the wake of requirements for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Shops selling seeds and fertilisers were also categorised under essential services in a recent government order. The price section of the Economics and Statistics department also included an essential category, so that such shops can open on all days with the required staff.

 

COVID-19 regulations in Kerala are based on a seven-day average of Test Positivity Rate (TPR) in Local Self-Government Institutions. Accordingly, LSGIs with low TPR will have certain relaxations and places with high TPR will have stringent restrictions. The recent government order also says that on July 31 and August 1, the state will witness a full lockdown.

The move to ease certain restrictions came even as there seems to be no reduction in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Kerala. On Wednesday, the number of fresh COVID-19 cases crossed 20,000 for the second successive day. A statement issued by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 22,056 people tested positive after 1,96,902 samples were sent for testing in the latest 24-hour period.

On Tuesday, 22,129 people had tested positive. The only solace on Wednesday was that the test positivity rate fell from 12.35% on Tuesday to 11.20%. Presently, there are 1.49 lakh active cases, after 17,761 people recovered on Wednesday, taking the total figure in the state to 31.60 lakh. Another 131 COVID-19 deaths were reported, taking the death toll to 16,457. There was a spurt in every Kerala district as the number of samples going for testing rose, with Malappuram district leading the charts with 3,931 new cases, followed by Thrissur with 3,005.

Courtesy:The News Minute