29 cases in Kerala, highest in 2 months

nTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala on Monday reported the highest Covid-19 cases in two months as 29 people, including 21 who have recently returned from abroad and seven from other states, were diagnosed with the disease, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. The spike came even as the state government announced a series of measures to ease the lockdown imposed in late March to check the pandemic spread. The measures include the reopening of liquor shops from Wednesday.

Kerala, which was the first in the country to report a Covid-19 case in January and was the worst-hit in early March, has earned praise for controlling the spread of the disease. The state’s active cases dipped to 16 last week. They have since gone up to 130 while thousands are under observation with symptoms. Kerala has over the last five days reported 97 cases. It is now bracing for a major surge in the Covid-19 cases as 38 flights from abroad and 24 trains from other states are expected to arrive over the next two weeks. Over 2.5 million people from Kerala live abroad mostly in West Asian countries.

Vijayan said they have announced some concessions but it does not mean that the restrictions are over. “We have to keep in mind the rising number of cases,” he said. Vijayan said they were a major concern.

All liquor shops and bars will be allowed to sell alcohol for the first time since the lockdown was enforced on March 25. Vijayan said customers will have to register online to buy liquor and they will be allotted time slots. The state had earlier refused to open liquor outlets fearing a rush.

Prohibition activists have asked the government not to allow selling of liquor, which is one of the main sources of revenue for it.

The opposition Congress, too, criticised the move to allow the sale of liquor through bars.

The state will also resume bus services within districts with increased fares. For inter-district travel, passes will be mandatory while only half-filled buses will be allowed to ply, said Vijayan. Auto-rickshaws and taxis will also be allowed but with restricted number of passengers.

At barbershops, only cutting of hair will be allowed while beauty parlours and spas will remain shut along with shopping complexes and malls.