Restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been imposed in Kuruvattur, Chemanchery, Kayanna, Chengottukavu, Perumanna, Velom, Chelannur, Arikkulam, Thalakkulathur, Eramala, Chakkittapara and Olavanna grama panchayats in Kozhikode district where a daily test positivity rate (TPR) of over 25% for COVID-19 has been reported between April 12 and 18.
Only five persons will be permitted to attend public gatherings, including at places of worship, and weddings and funerals. Information about such events shall be entered in the ‘event register’ service in COVID Jagratha portal and the list shall be shared with the rapid response teams (RRTs). All other gatherings should be avoided. Commercial establishments, except fuel stations and shops selling groceries, fruits and vegetables, and medicines, may function from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hotels shall permit in-house dining till 7 p.m. and can provide takeaways or parcels till 9 p.m. All employment and livelihood related activities will be permitted only in compliance with the pandemic protocol.
RRTs and sectoral magistrates have been asked to follow ‘Social distancing, Masking, and Sanitising’ protocol in shops and commercial establishments and any violation will lead to the closure of units. The restrictions will be in force until the TPR falls below 20% after ensuring minimum 80% of the test target laid out for the local bodies. Grama panchayats have been asked to hold at least 90 tests a day, municipalities 270 and the Corporation 2,000.
District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao said there was a severe surge in fresh COVID-19 cases over the past couple of weeks and the daily TPR went up from 10.6% between April 5 and 11 to 18.57% between April 12 and 18. On Monday, the TPR was over 22%. Though the district-level RRTs have been declaring containment zones and critical containment zones to contain the spread of the infection, some local bodies have a high spread and warrants special steps.
Meanwhile, the Health Department will hold mass COVID-19 testing camps on Wednesday and Thursday. RT-PCR and antigen tests will be conducted in a 60:40 ratio. Government Medical College Hospital will hold 500 tests, and the district government hospital, Government General Hospital, and the Government Hospital for Women and Children at Kottapparamba in Kozhikode will hold 400 tests. The Institute for Maternal and Child Health attached to the medical college hospital will conduct 300 tests and the Institute of Chest Diseases 200. A total of 100 tests will be held at primary health centres and family health centres. Community Health Centres will hold 200 tests, taluk hospitals 300, and the Government Dermatology Hospital 100. Mobile teams will conduct tests at crowded public places such as markets, bus stands, shopping malls and migrant labourers’ camps.
