Kerala observes 2-day complete lockdown before restrictions are eased for Bakrid

Lockdown restrictions in Kerala will however be relaxed on July 18, 19, and 20 due to Bakrid, which will be celebrated either on July 20 or 21

Kerala observed a complete lockdown on Saturday after the state government announced a two-day lockdown over the weekend following a rise in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases. “There will be a complete lockdown on 17th and 18th July 2021 with the same guidelines as issued for 12th and 13th June 2021," the Kerala government said in official order.

Kerala logged 13,750 Covid-19 cases and 130 related fatalities on Friday (AP Photo/R S Iyer) (AP)

Banks and other financial institutions have also been ordered to remain closed on the two scheduled days.

Lockdown restrictions in Kerala will however be relaxed on July 18, 19, and 20 due to Bakrid, which will be celebrated either on July 20 or 21, depending on moon sighting. Along with shops involved in the sale of essential items permission has also been given to open textile shops, footwear shops, electronics shops and jewellery shops till 8pm, the Kerala chief minister's office (CMO) has said.

Kerala logged 13,750 Covid-19 cases and 130 related fatalities on Friday, taking the state's infection count to 31,30,833 and the death toll to 15,155 in the span of 24 hours. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the state’s current coronavirus scenario on Friday. "The test positivity rate was close to 30 per cent. Now it has dropped to 10.4 per cent. The second wave started in Kerala later than other regions. Kerala has tried to contain the spread of the disease in such a way that the Covid peak can be delayed so that the health sector could accommodate all health requirements and succeeded in it. As a part of it, Kerala still has more patients than any other region," the chief minister said in the meeting attended by five other chief ministers, reported PTI.

Vijayan urged PM Modi to send more vaccines so the inoculation drive can be accelerated. "Kerala has asked for 60 lakh doses of the vaccine to be made available in July and August to avoid vaccine shortages. A letter was sent to the Prime Minister on July 11 in this regard. There should be support from the Central Government for the more effective implementation of Covid vaccination," he told reporters on Friday.

So far 1.17 crore people in the state have been administered the first dose of vaccine and 44.18 lakh people have been inoculated with the second dose of vaccine.