KOCHI: The Centre has included six districts in Kerala, Kasaragod, Kannur, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta, among coronavirus hotspots. Wayanad has been listed among the hotspots with clusters while Thrissur, Kollam, Idukki, Palakkad, Kottayam and Alappuzha have been listed as non-hotspot districts.
The hotspots (red zones) have been classified based on the number of reported Covid-19 cases. This has been done to focus attention on districts/cities reporting a large number of cases/high growth rate. The districts identified as hotspots need to implement outbreak containment plan. States have also been asked to identify hotspots based on doubling rate of confirmed cases.
“The exercise of identification of hotspots has to be done on a weekly basis (every Monday) or earlier. Strict containment measures need to be implemented there, the ministry said. Spots with no new confirmed cases for the last 28 days are considered green zone. A district currently in hotspot can move to green category if no new cases arise in 28 days, the ministry said.