The Kerala government on Friday said that special intensified stringent lockdown restrictions will be enforced in the urban and panchayat wards with critical spread of WIPR (weekly infection population ratio) above 8.  

DDMAs will notify such areas on a weekly basis and give adequate publicity through websites and other media, chief secretary Dr VP Joy said in an order. 

The collectors shall further notify micro-containment zones as per extant guidelines and enforce lockdown restrictions therein. Further, contact tracing and quarantine shall also be monitored and strengthened in all districts, the order said.  

Today, the southern state reported 25,010 new Covid cases and 177 deaths, taking the caseload to 43,34,704 and the death toll to 22,303. Kerala health minister Veena George said 1,51,317 samples were tested in the last 24 hours and the test positivity rate was 16.53%. 

Thrissur reported the highest number of fresh cases today--3,226, followed by Ernakulam with 3,034 and Malappuram 2,606. "There are 2,37,643 active Covid cases and of that only 12.9 per cent have been hospitalised," the minister said.

Of those found infected on Friday, 102 reached the state from outside while 23,791 contracted the disease from their contact. The source of infection of 1,012 persons is yet to be traced and 105 health workers are also among the infected, the minister said. 

Meanwhile, 23,535 persons recuperated from the disease today, taking the total cured to 40,74,200. There were 4,108 wards in 794 local self government bodies with a weekly infection population ratio above 7%.