JOIN USOnam season poses fresh challenge to Kerala's Covid-19 fight
With the Onam festival season of Kerala emerging and lockdown norms being relaxed, Kerala is keeping fingers crossed as the likelihood of huge crowds at commercial streets is making social distancing impractical.
The state was still witnessing a spike in Covid-19 with 1,530 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, while 1,099 recovered, taking the total active cases to 15,310. As many as ten deaths were reported taking the total deaths to 156. A prisoner also died due to Covid-19, while a total to 360 prisoners have so far tested positive.
Onam festival is from August 30 to September 2 and the state witnesses huge business during this season.
A total lockdown in state capital, which is still witnessing a spike in Covid-19, was lifted by Saturday. On Sunday, the maximum Covid-19 cases were reported in Thiruvananthapuram, with 519 positive reports.
A shop at Kottayam district in Kerala was caught up in a row after it reportedly gave a money back offer. Cases were registered against some shops, including a major home appliances shop in Kottayam district, for not following social distancing norms.
Government sources said that the decision to relax lockdown norms was taken mainly considering widespread opinion that total lockdown was not able to contain Covid-19. Hence the government is now giving more focus on social distancing strategies through creating awareness and stringent enforcement.