Kerala CM: Statewide lockdown slowed down COVID curbs

The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that there are signs that the statewide lockdown is helping contain the COVID situation in Kerala.

He said that the experts had predicted that the COVID peak is over but this should not be the reason for the slackening of COVID protocols in the state.

"On Monday, the test positivity rate (TPR) stands at 24.74 percent and the day also saw a record 99,651 people turning negative, taking the total cured in the state to 18,00,179. In comparison from the commencement of lockdown which began on May 8, when the number of active cases stood at 4.45 lakh, the number has now come down to 3.62 lakh," he said.

The Total Positivity Rate (TPR), which had gone up as high as 30 percent last week, has fallen to 24.74 percent in the last 24 hour.

"The triple lockdown in four districts that started yesterday (Sunday) midnight and the continuation of the general lockdown in the other (10) districts appear to have been accepted well by the people. We have no other option because there is no other way to contain the spread. People should continue to cooperate in this," Vijayan said.