Kerala has declared a nine-day lockdown from May 8 to 16 in view of the unabated rise in Covid-19 cases and high test positivity rates.
“The entire State of Kerala will be under lockdown from 6 am on 8 May to 16 May. This is in the background of a strong 2nd wave of #COVID19,” the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted at 11.30 am on Thursday.
Mini lockdown failed
A mini lockdown currently in force in the State has not been found to be effective, a police report had conveyed to the government on Wednesday, with roads busy with vehicles and crowds. Intensive police checking had caused huge traffic gridlocks at many places.
This is what apparently had prompted an expert council advising the State government to recommend a full-fledged lockdown at the earliest. The Covid-19 situation was not getting any better with new daily cases crossing the 40,000-mark on Wednesday and continuing the trend on Thursday as well.
Rush at crematoriums
Reports of some crematoriums receiving bodies of a growing daily number of Covid-19 victims have led at least some to regulate arrivals through booking. This too may have expedited the decision, sources said on condition of anonymity. Shortage of ICU, oxygen and ventilator beds in some cities did not help matters either.
While an official government order is still awaited, it is almost a given all- non-essential traffic will be ordered shut from Saturday. S
hops and establishments too may have to close down. In a development not directly linked to the lockdown, the Southern Railway has cancelled 30 more services from Thursday citing low patronage.
The Chief Minister had told news persons on Wednesday evening that the mini lockdown situation was ‘due for review and a likely upgrade’ any time with new daily new cases crossing 40,000 and deaths 50.
Thursday’s numbers came in at 42,464 new infections and 63 dead, with a test positivity ratio of 27.28 per cent.