Government of Kerala has revoked the provisions of the Disaster Management Act for Covid containment measures, effectively withdrawing all Covid-19-related restrictions which have been in force in the state.

A government order issued late on Thursday, however, took a cue from the Centre’s directive, adivising members of the public to continue to wear face masks and maintain social distancing.

The recall of Covid-related restrictions came on a day when test positivity rate fell below two per cent (1.87 per cent on Thursday) for the first time after the state endured multiple flare-ups during the peak of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

The daily new cases fell to 291, with individual districts reporting them in double or single digits. Thursday also reported a related death, after being nil for days together. But reconciliation of deaths is apace, though at much reduced levels.

At least one other death was reconciled due to late arrival of supporting data while 34 others were taken on record as per Supreme Court directives. This has taken the cumulative toll during the pandemic to 68,264. Active case load is down to 2,398 as on Thursday.

Published on April 7, 2022