Thiruvananthapuram is one of the worst-hit districts in the country.
Cinemas, theatres, gyms, and swimming pools will be temporarily shut in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram as the positivity rate in the state capital surged to 49 per cent, much higher than the national average of 20.75 per cent. This suggests every one in two people getting tested is positive.
No social, cultural, political, religious, or public gatherings are allowed for now in Thiruvananthapuram. A maximum of 20 people can attend weddings and funerals. These measures, however, were already in place since last week.
For all students, except for those in the final year of college and classes 10 and 12, online classes will be held. Schools can further decide to stop physical classes if the attendance has been below 40 per cent or the emergence of covid clusters.
Based on the severity of spread and hospitalizations, districts across the southern state have been put in three segments.
Each category has specific sets of restrictions that kick in. Thiruvananthapuram is currently the only district in the Threshold-3 category with the strictest curbs now in place.
Kerala, which once drew praise for its handling of coronavirus, has seen a significant surge over the last few months. It has been adding over 40,000 new infections every day since Thursday. Today, 26,514 new infections were registered, said the state bulletin.
55,557 samples were tested in the previous 24 hours which apparently explains a low number of positive cases today.
Ernakulam district recorded the highest number of cases (4,443) followed by Thiruvananthapuram 3,256 and Kozhikode 2,979 cases.
Last week, the state saw its sharpest-ever daily spike (46,387).
Soon after, in a series of fresh restrictions, the Pinarayi Vijayan government said that only essential services will be allowed on two Sundays.
Work from home for mothers who have children less than 2 years of age, cancer patients, or those with severe illness and strict anti-Covid protocols at shops, malls, theme parks, beaches and other tourist spots.
The state government had attributed the spike to the highly infectious Omicron variant.
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