KOCHI: With Ernakulam reporting a massive rise in the number of fresh Covid cases on Tuesday — 3,212 people testing positive, the highest single-day spike in the district since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020 — the district collector has ordered full lockdown of three panchayats.In addition, 113 wards in the district, including five divisions in Kochi Corporation, which have been identified as micro containment zones, will be put under lockdown effective from 6pm on Wednesday for seven days.
District collector S Suhas said that Edathala, Vengola and Mazhuvannur are the panchayats where full lockdown has been imposed.In Kochi Corporation, five divisions where the lockdown has come into effect are 8, 22, 27, 26 and 60 (Panayappilly, Mundenvely, Nasrathu, Perumanur and Fortkochi Veli).
Suhas said mass testing drives that were conducted with a focus on people with symptoms, made it easy to identify the areas where the infection is severe. “The panchayat with the highest test positivity rate is Keezhmad. The test positivity rate (TPR) is 43 per cent in the panchayat,” he said.
According to him, stringent measures will be implemented in containment zones. “People need to comply with guidelines and help us contain the spread,” said the collector. Groups of more than five aren’t allowed.
“Only 20 people are allowed at weddings and 10 at funerals. Dine-in at restaurants is a strict no. However, food parcel service has the go-ahead. All tourism-related activities are completely banned. People going to their workplaces won’t be blocked. However, they will have to carry IDs or a letter from their employers. All religious activities are allowed if Covid protocol is strictly followed,” said the collector.
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