Kerala becomes first Indian state to head for complete lockdown over coronavirus

THE Southern Indian state of Kerala on Tuesday (10) scaled up the protocol to deal with the COVID-19 threat to nearly a state-wide lock-down, with the government declaring a public health emergency.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state has jumped to 14.

In India, a total of 58 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus. New cases were reported in Pune, Bengaluru and Amritsar and nine fresh cases have been reported in Kerala and Karnataka on Tuesday.

Kerala was the first state in the country to report COVID-19 cases. The initial patients, all students in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, have been fully recovered.

All public functions across the state being cancelled or regulated while all educational institutions will remain closed throughout this month.

The secondary and higher secondary examination will be held as planned, but with all precautions, including isolation of students suffering health issues.

Temples, churches and mosques were told to go slow with events and gatherings.

Release of half-a-dozen films was postponed. In case of ongoing film shoots, directors & producers have been told to take an informed decision on whether to continue or pack up until the situation improves

The high alert follows the failure of a three-member family coming from virus-affected Italy to report to the health authorities and interacting with a large number of people before they were admitted to hospital and tested positive to coronavirus.

The chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told a news conference after the special cabinet meeting that as many as 1216 cases are under observation throughout the state. Of them, 149 are in hospitals while the remaining are confined to their homes with a special isolation protocol in force.

So far, 807 samples have been referred to virology tests, out of which the results in 717 were found to be negative.