THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state recorded its highest single-day death toll on Thursday after 31 deaths were confirmed as due to Covid-19.
At the same time, as part of controlling and managing the pandemic better, the state is likely to revise its intervention programmes at market places.
The state on the day recorded more recoveries than new cases with 5,590 patients testing. The state recorded 5,376 fresh cases. The daily test positivity rate came down to 8.89 per cent from the high of 11 per cent on Wednesday.
“The Union health ministry has issued a standard operating procedure for market places. It includes not allowing employees who are at higher risk of getting infected by Covid-19 in direct contact with the public. The employees at risk include older ones, pregnant ones and those with underlying conditions,” said an officer of the health department.
According to the officer, the implementation of the same will be made after proper discussion.
The SOP released by the ministry says that a sub-committee will have to be formed at each market to facilitate and monitor the implementation of Covid-appropriate behaviour in marketplaces (within shops and establishments as well as outside).
It also recommends setting up mask dispensing kiosks at government-approved rates at entry points and parking lots and staggered time of shops/utilities, thereby, allowing them to remain open for longer duration, among others.
Of the new cases, 4,724 got infected through local contact, while 527 were cases with unknown source of infection.
Eighty-one returnees and 44 were health workers were also tested positive on the day. infection. Eighty-one returnees and 44 were health workers infection. Eighty-one returnees and 44 were health workers.