Kerala has imposed more restrictions as the number of active COVID-19 cases crossed 47,000 and test positivity rate more than 10%. A review meeting chaired by the Chief secretary VP Joy has directed shops to shut by 9 pm and hotels to function only with 50% occupancy.

Only 200 people will be allowed for outdoor functions and 100 for indoor functions and programmes will have to be completed within two hours. Feasts will not be allowed and instead food packets can be distributed among guests, the order said.

Mega shopping festivals in malls and supermarkets will not be allowed as this leads to overcrowding.

In the meeting, the Chief Secretary also decided to impose stricter quarantine measures for those entering the state from outside.

A minimum quarantine of one week is mandatory hereafter for those entering the state.

On Sunday, the Kozhikode administration tightened restrictions with entry to the beaches and dams in the district stopped after 5 pm. It also disallowed public gatherings at containment zones. Kozhikode accounted for more than 1,000 of the 5,692 cases reported from Kerala on Monday. On Sunday, the district reported 1,271 cases. The district has the most number of active cases with 7,420 patients.

Five days ago, it was decided at a high-level meeting in Thiruvananthapuram that COVID-19 protocol be tightened in the state with immediate effect. This was after the TPR rose to above 5% in the state.

Earlier on Monday, Health Minister KK Shailaja said that there was a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine and if the spread was increasing further, a lockdown at regional level would have to be imposed.

Kerala has on Monday evening, 47,596 active cases of COVID-19. In a little more than a year, the state has witnessed 11,20,174 recoveries from the disease, while reporting 4,794 deaths due to COVID-19.

(With IANS input)