The Covid situation in Kerala is getting grimmer as days progress. On Tuesday, the state witnessed 21,119 fresh Covid cases, and shockingly, the daily test positivity rate (TPR) in the state is nearing 16 percent. The alarming rise of TPR in Kerala comes at a time when the national TPR continues to be under 2 percent for the second consecutive week. 

Covid cases rising as lockdown restrictions lifted

It was on last week that the state government headed by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan lifted the lockdown restrictions to kickstart shopping ahead of Onam. While lifting the lockdown restrictions, the TPR was 11 percent, and within a week, it climbed up steadily and reached 15.91 percent on Tuesday. 

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Shockingly, Kerala has 1.71 lakh positive cases against the country's total count of 3.88 lakh. Malappuram district in Kerala witnessed the maximum number of positive cases, where 3,603 people were infected. 

In Kerala, local bodies have been categorized on the weekly infection population ratio (WIPR). According to the latest updates, WIPR is above 10 in 266 wards of 52 local bodies, and the government has ordered strict restrictions in these regions. 

New restrictions irked Keralites

Recently, the government had insisted on at least a dose of vaccine jab or an RT-PCR negative certificate for people to go out of the house. The new directive from the government received negative responses from all corners, and as pressure mounted, authorities clarified that people who are not vaccinated can go out of their homes to buy essentials if none of the members in the house have received the Covid jab. 

In the meantime, a six-member central team that was sent to take stock of the pandemic situation in Kerala has observed that the state may see 4.6 lakh new cases from August 1 to August 20. 

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