Entry to beaches and dams in Kozhikode district will be closed to the public after 5 p.m. and other tourism destinations will have only 200 visitors at a time. Public gatherings will not be allowed in containment zones and first-line treatment centres (FLTCs) will be opened within local body limits.
These were among the latest steps brought in by the district administration on Sunday when fresh COVID-19 cases surged above 1,200. According to District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao, FLTCs will come up in Kozhikode Corporation, Vadakara, Koyilandy, Payyoli, Eramala, Thurayur, Villyappally, Chorod, Moodadi, Koothali, Kakkur, Kattippara, Arikkulam, Meppayyur, Kizhariyur, Chengottukavu, Ulliyeri, Edachery, where hotspots have been identified. Each of the centres will have at least 100 beds.
Police personnel have been asked to supervise the restrictions imposed on tourism destinations and other public places. Each station will have a patrolling team led by an official not below the rank of an assistant sub inspector to ensure compliance with the protocol. Any violation will invite one year in jail or fine or both under the Disaster Management Act.
Mr. Rao said though COVID-19 cases had declined in the district in the past five months, carelessness during the Assembly poll campaign had led to large crowds and the violation of pandemic protocol. It resulted in a high daily test positivity rate (TPR) and a large number of fresh cases in the past one week. The number of locally acquired infections had been going up and most of the newly infected are aged above 60. There had been a decline in testing and vaccination as well. Mr. Rao said the TPR rate was higher than the State average and there had been between 500 and 1,200 cases in the last week.
As many as 10,753 people were vaccinated at mega camps organised in different parts of Kozhikode city on Sunday. The Kozhikode Corporation was planning to hold similar events in the coming days, its secretary said.
According to Corporation sources, the National Health Mission, the Health Department, and the district administration were part of the exercise. All the 75 wards within the Corporation limits were covered with one camp each for three wards. It began at 9 a.m. and went on till 5 p.m. Mayor Beena Philip opened the event at Chevayur Upper Primary School in the morning.
