COVID-19 | Kerala has a triple lockdown in 634 wards, with Malappuram district leading the way

Thiruvananthapuram: According to the new Weekly Infection Population Ratio (WIPR) for COVID-19, triple lockdown has been imposed in 634 wards across 87 local bodies in Kerala as of Thursday. Only 266 wards in 52 local governments were subject to this severe mode of public restriction a week ago.

When the WIPR exceeds 10, the pandemic is placed under triple lockdown, according to the most recent lockdown guidelines. The tripling of the number of wards, combined with triple lockdown, emphasises the need for extreme caution.

Malappuram district has the most wards where triple lockdown has been imposed, with 171. This is followed by the districts of Palakkad (102) and Kozhikode (89).

The Kottayam district, which had no wards under triple lockdown until last week, now has 26 wards under triple lockdown.

Zones of micro-containment

The new lockdown policy based on WIPR went into effect on August 5, replacing one based on the Total Positivity Rate (TPR).

WIPR is calculated by multiplying the total number of Covid infections reported in a week by 1,000 and dividing by the total population of the panchayat or urban ward.

In the event of disease spread, any small area, including a house, can be designated as a micro-containment zone under the new policy. Previously, micro-containment zones were announced on a ward-by-ward basis, and curbs were enforced.

Only a smaller area with Covid spread can now be designated as a micro-containment zone. According to the Additional Chief Secretary’s order, if five cases are reported in a 100-metre radius in a single day, that area can be designated as a micro-containment zone (Disaster Management Department).

If disease spreads in a joint family of more than ten members, the home can be designated as a micro-containment zone.

Micro-containment zones can be declared in streets, markets, densely populated areas, offices, IT companies, warehouses, housing colonies, shopping malls, commercial establishments, flats, harbours, and fish markets.

On Friday, a review meeting will be held, presided over by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. During Onam, strict curbs could be enforced to control crowding.

Idukki does well.

Thodupuzha: Idukki is now the only district in Kerala that is not subject to strict lockdown restrictions. Disease transmission was significantly lower in Idukki, a sparsely populated district, than in the other 13 districts.

In Idukki last week, 3,108 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 after 29,895 were tested. The TPR was 10.40% at the time. If TPR-based curbs had still been in place, there would have been strict restrictions in 11 panchayats. The district’s Vathikudy panchayat recorded a TPR of 22.11 percent, but the WIPR is only 4.01.