<p>The Kerala government on Friday announced a one-week extension of the state-wide lockdown till May 30 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>While the triple lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Thrissur districts would be withdrawn from Saturday as the TPR of these districts came down, it would continue in the Malappuram district.</p>.<p>The state has been under lockdown since May 8 after weekend restrictions and lockdown-like curbs imposed earlier failed to create any desired impact in terms of the daily caseload of the infected persons. On May 16, the lockdown was extended to May 23.</p>.<p><strong>Vaccine production in the state</strong></p>.<p>The Kerala government is also exploring the option of Covid-19 vaccine production in the state to overcome the shortage of supply of vaccines.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the government was holding talks with experts exploring the scope of Covid-19 vaccine production in Kerala by setting up branches of the vaccine production firms in Kerala. A webinar of experts form various institutions would be held to take a final call on the matter, he said.</p>.<p>Two persons died of black fungus infection in Kerala so far, while around 15 are still under treatment. The Chief Minister said that sufficient medicine for black fungus treatment was ensured in the state</p>.<p>He said that even as the Covid-19 surge in Kerala was witnessing a decline, the chances of more deaths in the coming days was high, especially among those who got the infection when the Covid-19 surge was at its peak last week.</p>
<p>The Kerala government on Friday announced a one-week extension of the state-wide lockdown till May 30 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>While the triple lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Thrissur districts would be withdrawn from Saturday as the TPR of these districts came down, it would continue in the Malappuram district.</p>.<p>The state has been under lockdown since May 8 after weekend restrictions and lockdown-like curbs imposed earlier failed to create any desired impact in terms of the daily caseload of the infected persons. On May 16, the lockdown was extended to May 23.</p>.<p><strong>Vaccine production in the state</strong></p>.<p>The Kerala government is also exploring the option of Covid-19 vaccine production in the state to overcome the shortage of supply of vaccines.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the government was holding talks with experts exploring the scope of Covid-19 vaccine production in Kerala by setting up branches of the vaccine production firms in Kerala. A webinar of experts form various institutions would be held to take a final call on the matter, he said.</p>.<p>Two persons died of black fungus infection in Kerala so far, while around 15 are still under treatment. The Chief Minister said that sufficient medicine for black fungus treatment was ensured in the state</p>.<p>He said that even as the Covid-19 surge in Kerala was witnessing a decline, the chances of more deaths in the coming days was high, especially among those who got the infection when the Covid-19 surge was at its peak last week.</p>
