Kerala extends Covid-19 lockdown till May 30, registers 29,673 new cases

Addressing a press conference, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan further said that a 'triple lockdown,' which is in place in four worst-hit districts, is being removed from three, including Thiruvananthapuram.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Friday that a state-wide lockdown, in effect since May 8 to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), is being extended till May 30.

Policemen on duty during lockdown in Kochi, Kerala.

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“Lockdown is being extended by one more week till May 30. It was about to expire on May 23. Today, Kerala saw 29,673 new Covid-19 cases with a test positivity rate of 22.22%. Kerala is among states reporting a high number of cases,” Vijayan said in a Covid-19 press briefing, adding that there were 142 coronavirus-related deaths in the state on Friday. “The case fatality rate is very low, at 0.4% as against the national average of 1.40%,” the chief minister further said.

With daily cases witnessing a steep rise, the Kerala government announced the lockdown on May 6 in a bid to break the chain of transmission. The shutdown came into force on May 8 and was originally scheduled to last till May 16. Last Friday, Vijayan announced the extension of the lockdown till May 23. He also announced a “triple lockdown” in three out of four worst-hit districts, including Thiruvananthapuram.

This “triple lockdown,” Vijayan said in his latest briefing, is being removed from Thiruvananthapuram and two other districts -- Ernakulam and Thrissur. However, it will continue to be in effect in the fourth district, Malappuram, he said.

Services which were exempted/disallowed during the previous phases are likely to be exempted/disallowed during the extended period as well.