The Kerala government has imposed a curfew in the Aluva municipality and six panchayats in the Ernakulam district to contain the spread of COVID-19, with effect from Wednesday midnight.
Edathala, Chengamanad, Alangad, Kadungalloor, Karumalloor and Aluva municipalities have been placed under curfew over the rising number of positive cases in these localities.
The sale of wholesale goods will be allowed between 7 am and 9 am and retail from 10 am to 2 pm, announced Agriculture Minister VS Sunil Kumar. While there will be no restriction in the functioning of medical shops, the fish market in Muvattupuzha will remain shut. The minister appealed to all private hospitals which closed operations to resume service from Thursday after disinfection. The minister said private hospitals should only transfer COVID-19 patients to the Kalamassery Medical College after informing authorities.
Sunil said the state will extend special attention to convents and care homes for elderly persons. Weddings and funerals can be carried out but only after informing the local police. The state has arranged 3,752 beds across 72 first line treatment centers in the Ernakulam district. First line treatment centres treat asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients.
New cases have also emerged from localities such as Kalady, Kanjoor, Nedumbassery and Chendamangalam panchayats and Eloor, Kalamassery municipalities which were buffer zones for the Aluva containment zone, reported Times of India. The newspaper quoted an unnamed health official as stating that they will recommend a lockdown in the Ernakulam district if cases rise in the next two weeks.
In the meantime physical distancing rules were flouted at Thottakkattukara in Aluva when close to 200 people attended a funeral of a 72-year-old woman, who later tested positive for the coronavirus. The woman's son and her son in law also later tested positive. Police booked 45 persons and are attempting to trace others, reported The New Indian Express. The state had set a limit of 20 persons for attending funerals.
Ernakulam on Wednesday reported 93 positive cases of which 66 patients were infected through contacts.The source of infection in 15 people are yet to be traced.
Ernakulam has so far reported 1,220 COVID-19 cases of which 942 are presently receiving treatment. The district has also reported five deaths.