The State government on Thursday downgraded Kottayam and Idukki districts from Green to Orange in the COVID-19 categorisation. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government was constrained to withdraw the lockdown relaxation in the districts following the emergence of new cases.
Kottayam and Idukki had reported two and four new COVID-19 positive cases on Thursday, respectively. Mr. Vijayan said Idukki was particularly vulnerable to a resurgence in infections given its proximity to Tamil Nadu. He said the constant movement of people between the States through hilly plantation and forest routes posed a public health threat to both States. The government would further tighten the lockdown regulations in Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, and Kozhikode that come under the Red zone.
The remaining 10 districts are in the relatively low-risk Orange zone. The people in the localities could expect comparatively more freedom of movement to buy essentials, attend work, or keep hospital appointments. (The government has cancelled Orange B categorisation given the threat of new cases cropping up sporadically across the State.)
However, the government would seal off epidemic hotspots, if any, in Orange districts from other neighbourhoods. People in such zones could expect stringent imposition of the lockdown regulations.
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In rural areas, if authorities categorise a neighbourhood as a hotspot, they could impose total lockdown in the entire panchayat. In municipalities, the government would close the ward as a whole if a new case is reported. If the epidemic is resurgent in a Corporation, which has a higher density of population, the government would be constrained to shut down the entire ‘urban division.’ Mr. Vijayan said in the third phase of the epidemic, Kerala had not witnessed any community spread. However, the threat persisted.
