COVID-19: Kerala govt mandates masks in public again; violators to be punished

The Kerala government on Wednesday brought back the face masks mandate in the state, in the wake of surge in COVID-19 cases reported in many other parts of the country. It also announced that any violation would be punishable under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act and other relevant laws.

Chief Secretary V P Joy in his latest order said the government had rescinded all the restrictions imposed under the Disaster Management Act-2005, in connection with the COVID-19 containment activities in the state.

However, after analysing the present coronavirus scenario wearing of masks in all public places, gatherings, work places is made compulsory in the state now, it said.

Violation of the instructions shall be punishable under the provisions of the DM Act and other relevant laws in force.

The state government, on April 10, had stopped publishing daily coronavirus figures due to the decline in the number of those affected by the virus in the state.