Kerala extends COVID-19 lockdown till June 16

Thiruvananthapuram, June 07: The Kerala government on Monday extended the lockdown, which was scheduled to end on June 9, till June 16, as the state reported 9,313 new COVID-19 cases and 221 more deaths. The infection count now stood at 26,12,370 and the toll 10,157, while 21,921 persons recuperated from the disease, taking the total cured in the state to 24,83,992.

The government decided to extend the lockdown till June 16 after considering the high test positivity rate prevailing in the state, the chief minister''s office said.

The CM''s office also said the restrictions will be "severe" (total lockdown) on June 12 and 13.

Government offices and public sector undertakings will function with 50 per cent staff from June 17, the CMO said. The state has been under lockdown since May 8 following the sharp rise in coronavirus cases. The government had earlier extended the statewide shutdown thrice--on May 16, May 23 and May 31 after reviewing the situation.

State health minister Veena George said 70,569 samples were tested in the last 24 hours and the test positivity rate was 13.2 per cent.

Till now, 2,05,78,167 samples were tested.

Among the districts, Thiruvananthapuram reported 1,481 new coronavirus cases today, the highest in the state, followed by Palakkad with 1,028 cases and Ernakulam 968.

"Out of those infected today, 52 reached the state from outside, while 8,570 contracted the disease from their contact. The source of infection of 645 is yet to be traced and 49 health workers are also among the infected," the minister said in a release.

Currently, 1,47,830 people are under treatment and 6,32,868 under observation of which 39,061 are in isolation wards.

There are 889 hotspots in the State.