As Covid cases spike, Kerala enforces two weeks night curfew

Thiruvananthapuram, April 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) A high level committee, chaired by Kerala Chief Secretary V.P. Joy, on Monday decided to impose a night curfew from 9 p.m to 5 a.m. starting Tuesday, for the next two weeks in order to curb the rising spike in Covid cases in the state.

On Monday, 13,644 cases were detected from 87,275 samples tested, taking the total number of positive cases to an all time high of 1,03,004. The infected included around a dozen medical professionals at the Kottayam Medical College hospital

The previous high in the total number of cases stood around 97,500 during the months of September/October last year.

Among the other decisions that came in the committee meeting were that all malls and movie halls have been asked to close at 7 p.m., all tuition centres have been asked to close down, while offices have been asked to go into work from home mode, wherever possible.

In another related development the committee also decided to hold the famed Thrissur Pooram festivities which include a dazzling firework display but without admission of public.

Numerous temples also have decided to close for devotees on account of the surge in cases.

But however while all university examinations have been postponed, examinations to the Classes 10 and 12 of the state board will be held as per schedule.

WHO expert S.S. Lal, a Congress candidate in the April 6 Assembly polls, asked the authorities not to use the police to rein in the people, instead it should be done by taking the people into confidence.

However, there has been no change in regulating public transport or movement of vehicles.

Source: IANS