In the view of Eid-ul-Azha (Bakri-Eid), Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday announced that shops in areas under triple lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 in the state will be allowed to remain open on July 19.
Besides, as per the orders issued by the government, a maximum of 40 persons will be allowed in worship places during the festival. "At least one dose vaccination is compulsory." the CM said.
Kerala on Saturday recorded 16,148 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the infection caseload to 31,46,981, while the toll rose to 15,269 with 114 more deaths. As many as 13,197 people were cured of the infection, taking the total recoveries to 30,06,439, leaving 1,24,779 active cases, a state government release said.
Kozhikode logged the most number of cases (2105), followed by Malappuram (2033), Ernakulam (1908), Thrissur (1758), Kollam (1304), Palakkad (1140), Kannur (1084) and Thiruvananthapuram (1025).
Of the new cases, 75 are health workers, 62 had come from outside the state and 15,269 were infected through contact, with the source of contact being not clear in 742 cases, the release said. In the last 24 hours, 1,50,108 samples were tested, taking the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 2,52,11,041.
The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) stood at 10.76 per cent. There are currently 3,99,634 people under surveillance in various districts of the state. Of these, 3,74,822 are in home or institutional quarantine and 24,812 in hospitals.
A total of 12,381 people were found without masks in public places across the state on Saturday and9,861 cases were registered for violation of COVID-19 protocols, a release by Kerala Police said.
Besides that, 1,949 people were arrested and 3,329 vehicles also seized by police for violation of COVID-19 norms, it said, adding that 108 cases of quarantine violation were also reported from the state.
