Kerala Extends Lockdown Till May 23 As Covid Caseload Fails To Decline; Triple Lockdown In 4 Districts

According to reports, there will be no public transportation while only the medical and other essential shops besides hospitals will function under the triple-lockdown.

People shop at a vegetable and fruit market amid Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in Kochi . (Image: AFP)

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced the state government has decided to impose triple lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram over high Covid-19 positivity rates.

According to reports, there will be no public transportation while only the medical and other essential shops besides hospitals will function under the triple-lockdown.

Expressing concern over Kerala’s positivity rate continuing to remain high, Vijayan further said his government has decided to extend the present complete lockdown in the state till May 23.

The Chief Minister also informed that a total of 1,31,375 samples were tested during the last 24 hours and added 34,694 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the state on Friday.

Vijayan said 93 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the state’s death toll to 6,243.

He added that 31,319 new recoveries were reported, taking the total recoveries in the state to 16,36,790.

As coronavirus cases continue to rise in the state amid the second wave of the pandemic, the Kerala Government had earlier this month imposed a nine-day complete shutdown beginning May 8 to May 16 as part of efforts to bring down the daily caseload.