Kerala announces weekend lockdown; centre cautions it about rising cases

State records on more than 22,000 new cases for the second consecutive day, centre sends team of experts.

Kerala recorded on Thursday more than 22,000 new Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day, prompting the union health ministry to send there a six-member team from the National Centre for Disease Control.

"As a large number of Covid cases are still being reported in Kerala, the team will aid the state's ongoing efforts in Covid management," said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Twitter.

News agency ANI, while quoting unnamed sources, said that Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to the state about "super spreader events". "Compliance with mass/social gatherings guidelines need to be enforced strictly," said Bhushan in his letter.

Kerala, for three days, relaxed Covid curbs for Eid-Ul-Azha last week, prompting the Supreme Court to say the decision was "wholly uncalled for". The court did not cancel the government notification that eased the lockdown in the state.

The state, which was once praised for its practices in Covid management, now contributes about 40 per cent of positive cases in the country daily.

State-level serosurvey data shows that 44 per cent of Kerala’s population older than six is infected by the coronavirus, compared to the national average of more than 67 per cent. This, in effect, means that a much larger proportion of the population in the state is still susceptible to the disease compared to many other states, reported the 'Indian Express'.