THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The administration has imposed strict restrictions in the district in the wake of the steep surge in Covid cases. District Collector Navjot Khosa on Saturday issued an order banning public meetings and community gatherings in the district.
The collector, who is also the chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, said more than 50 people would not be allowed to gather and organisers should postpone if they are planning to hold any such meetings. The number of people who can attend weddings and funerals has been fixed at 50. City and rural district police chiefs have also been directed for strict monitoring. All functions should be conducted online, including those of the government, semi-government, public sector undertakings and co-operative societies.
Crowds are not allowed in malls and commercial institutions. The entry of people to the malls should be limited to one person per 25 sq ft of business premises. The order said that if clusters form in educational institutions, the institutions should be closed for 15 days and the principal /headmaster should inform the medical officer of the area concerned.
Micro-containment zones declared
Meanwhile, the district collector declared T K Divakaran Road of Muttada ward and Amrita Nagar street of Pappanamcode ward in Thiruvananthapuram corporation as micro-containment zones in the wake of a surge in Covid cases. Only bakeries and shops selling food, groceries, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, fish, animal feed, fodder and poultry feed will be allowed to function from 7am and 7pm. Ration shops, Maveli stores, Supplyco shops and Milma booths can remain open till 5pm every day. Restaurants and hotels can operate only for home delivery from 7am to 7.30pm.
Dine-in and takeaways are not allowed in these areas, the collector said. The public has been asked to purchase essential items from shops near their homes. Markets will not be allowed to operate and e-commerce establishments can function for the delivery operations from 7am to 2pm.
Daily tally crosses 4.5k-mark
T’Puram: The district on Saturday reported 4,694 Covid cases, which is the highest in the state for the fifth consecutive day. The test positivity rate stood at 36.1 per cent, which is also far higher than the state average of 26.9 per cent. Two persons died of the virus infection in the district in the past 24 hours. The health experts warned of a possible surge in Covid cases in the district in the coming days and suggested to increase tests. Meanwhile, 486 people recovered from Covid on the day. A total of 21,519 patients are still under treatment in the district. As many as 53,822 people are under home and institutional quarantine as on Saturday.