Govt decides to continue with lockdown in Capital

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Covid-19 infection transmission scenario remaining unabated, the state government has decided to continue with the lockdown in the city limits until further orders. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said the regulations will continue until a committee headed by the chief secretary submits a report on whether relaxations are needed or not. As per an order released by district collector Navjot Khosa on July 19, the strict lockdown enforced in the corporation limits was supposed to end on July 28 midnight.Lockdown was first imposed in the corporation limits on July 13 for a week.

In its assessment, the health department has found that the virus is being spread from areas identified as large community clusters to surrounding areas. The department also sounded alert in some limited community clusters which have the scope of becoming large community clusters. At the same time, the district reported 161 new cases on Monday, of which 137 were due to contact transmission. Those infected also include 13 health workers, a majority of whom are from the Chest Diseases Hospital in Pulayanarkotta.

Earlier, during his daily briefing the Chief Minster said that from areas such as Pulluvila, Puthukuruchy and Anchuthengu, which were identified as large community clusters, the virus is spreading to other areas. He also said that in limited community clusters such as Parassala and Pozhiyoor, an alarming situation prevails as there are signs of such clusters heading to large cluster formations.

“The district is dealing with a serious situation. Against this backdrop, it was decided to continue with the lockdown in the corporation limits. The coastal and rural areas remain to be the hotspot of virus transmission. But the focus will have to be shifted among the people concentrated in the hilly areas as some cases had reported among them,” said an officer of the health department.

As per reports on Monday, other than health workers from the Chest Diseases Hospital, those from the Government Medical College Hospital, Mukkola PHC, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, State Public Health Laboratory and Neyyattinkara General Hospital had also got infected.In Menamkulam, after a headload worker tested positive, the District Supply Officer ordered for the closure of Supplyco and FCI godowns. Two police personnel with Poonthura police station and SAP Camp were also infected.According to stats of the district administration, a total of 963 persons were brought under surveillance on the day and 185 who showed symptoms were admitted to various hospitals.

Police get more powers to enforce restrictions
T’Puram: Devolving more powers to the police department in enforcing curbs in Covid-affected places, the state government on Monday issued an order authorising district police chiefs to recommend triple lockdown in areas where the spread of infection is high. As per the order issued by the chief secretary, the district chiefs can recommend triple lockdown to the concerned district magistrate, who will then pass the order. The district chiefs should issue directives regarding regulations in those areas and ensure that they are strictly complied by the public, read the order. “Police should also take steps to regulate entry of people to areas under triple lockdown and containment zones through specific entry and exit points,” said the order.