Kerala asks people to avoid crowds, events during Onam due to Covid surge

The health minister also warned citizens against complacency saying that the state is not yet out of the woods as it continues to fight against the second wave.

Kerala health minister Veena George asked people to avoid crowds, events, celebrations and visits to relatives and friends as the Onam festival approaches -- in order to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.

A vehicle used for COVID-19 emergency is parked on a roadside as other vehicles drive past during a weekend lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus in Kochi, Kerala. (AP Photo)

George said that people should strictly avoid crowds and follow Covid-19 protocols while organising, attending events and celebrations. She said that visits to relatives and family should be avoided especially if there are small children in the family. Her suggestions come at a time when Kerala recorded 20,000 fresh cases for five days in a row.

The health minister also warned citizens against complacency saying that the state is not yet out of the woods as it continues to fight against the second wave. She asked people to remain extra vigilant in order to prevent a third wave. She highlighted that half of Kerala’s population is susceptible to the virus and warned that if the third wave hits before the vaccination reaches everyone the rate of hospitalisation would soar.

Kerala’s test positivity rate fell to 12.31% but the state recorded 20,624 fresh cases. Kerala recorded more than 20,000 cases for the fifth day in a row. Kerala has recorded more than 3.39 million cases and 16,781 deaths. Among the districts, Malappuram was worst affected as it logged 3,474 cases followed by Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Ernakulam, all of whom have recorded more than 200 cases. Kerala currently has 164,500 active cases in the state and is one of the largest contributors to the national caseload. The health minister said that there are 678 areas in the state with a test positivity rate above 10%.