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Kerala CM rules out total lockdown as state adds 702 new cases of Covid-19
In Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram which has been the worst-affected city in the state, the lockdown will continue for another week.
The Kerala government has decided not to enforce a complete lock down in the state but will instead strengthen containment measures in affected areas to check mounting locally-transmitted cases of Covid-19, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday.
He said a special cabinet meeting took the decision following the request of an all-party meeting that a complete lock down at this juncture will add to the suffering of the people. “Going by the present trend, cases are likely to peak by next month,” Vijayan said.
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He asked people not to lower their guard at this critical juncture. In the state capital which has been the worst-affected, the lockdown will continue for another week.
With 702 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Monday, the state’s tally has gone up to 19,727. Out of this, there are 9,613 active cases while 10,054 people have recovered. With two more casualties on Monday, the death toll has risen to 64.
There have been complaints that many deaths failed to find a place in the government list of Covid-19 casualties but Vijayan denied it saying the state was following guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The CM said 1,55,147 people are under observation in the state. Of these, 1, 45,750 are in their homes or institutional quarantine and 9,397 are in hospitals. He said despite strict vigil many people often flout norms endangering life of others also. He was referring to the wedding in Kasaragode on July 17 in which 47 people were infected including the bride and the groom.
