Kerala: Strict lockdown restrictions in wards having WIPR above 10

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of upping the guard against Covid-19, the state government has ordered the launch of “special intensified stringent lockdown restrictions” in urban and panchayat wards with critical spread of weekly infection population ratio (WIPR) above 10.
The DDMA would notify such areas on a weekly basis and give adequate publicity through websites and other media, a government order undersigned by chief secretary V P Joy said.“District collectors shall further notify micro-containment zones as per extant guidelines and enforce lockdown restrictions therein.
Contact tracing and quarantine shall also be monitored and strengthened in all districts,” the order said. The decision in this regard was taken at the Covid-19 review meeting chaired by CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday.
At present, strict lockdown restrictions are imposed in places where WIPR is above 8. As on Sunday, there are 2,507 wards spread across 678 local bodies where the WIPR is above 8. The state on Sunday reported 19,653 Covid-19 cases of the 1,13,295 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The state logged 152 Covid deaths, taking the toll to 23,591. At the same time, 26,711 patients recovered from the disease.
Ernakulam reported the highest number of cases with 2,810. As many as 5,12,854 persons are currently under observation across the state.
89% vaccinable population gets at least one dose
The vaccination review report of the state on Sunday indicated that at least 89% of the public in the vaccinable age have received at least one vaccine dose. Around 37% have received both doses.