Kasaragod: Kerala's northernmost district is in virtual shutdown as shops, clubs, restaurants and places of worships were closed on Saturday after six people here tested positive for COVID-19 a day earlier. The state government has ordered for drastic steps in the district especially after it was realised that social distancing curbs were violated by an infected man who had returned from the Middle East.
District collector Dr D Sajith Babu directly intervened to close some shops, which were open since Friday morning defying the restrictions.
Government offices and schools were already closed earlier after a government directive for the entire state. Cinema theatres and other establishments that conduct social events also remain shut. Places of worship are also shut since Friday.
"Those who were asked to remain in home quarantine must follow the directions of the health department. We have to implement such stern action to avoid further spread of the virus," Sajith Babu told the media.
He said more cases will be registered in case of more violations.
"We have already given instructions to register around 12 cases (against shop owners). The situation became worse after some persons failed to follow the health department's directions. We cannot allow the situation to get out of our control," the collector said.
Half of the 12 new COVID-19 cases reported in the state on Friday came from Kasaragod district. With these cases, the total number of cases in Kerala touched 40.
On Friday, Kerala Chief Minister had described the Kasaragod cases as "worrisome."
"One of the affected persons had moved around disregarding the health department's directions and had met scores of people at public events, weddings and a football match," he had said during his daily press meet in Thiruvananthapuram.
The man, who had returned from Dubai, had travelled to three districts in two days after arriving at the Calicut International Airport at Karipur last week. He had even met two MLAs from the district, forcing them to go under self-quarantine.
One booked
Meanwhile, the police on Saturday registered a case against a man, who is a friend of one of the six confirmed cases, for jumping the home quarantine. He is presently at the isolation ward in Kasaragod General Hospital.
The police said a case was registered after the neighbours complained that the person under home isolation was roaming around and meeting people.
"We have booked that person for not following the directions," the official said.
Kerala government on Friday took various measures, including a complete shutdown of government offices for a week, to tackle the COVID-19 spread in the district following the incident.
All places of worship and clubs would be shut for two weeks, the chief minister said.
Jumma prayers will not be held in mosques. Shops to remain open only from 11am to 5pm.
"We need to impose such restrictions in Kasaragod. We have issued an order in this regard," he said.
The order was issued under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1987. Any person who disobeys any part of this law will be booked under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
The district collector who is also the district magistrate and the district police chief of Kasaragod have also been empowered to enforce the order under the Act.
Traffic restrictions
Meanwhile, the Dakshina Kannada district administration has laid down travel restrictions through the Talapady border check-post to Kerala in view of the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Kasaragod.
In an order, Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh said the public can opt to travel through the check post only in case of emergency. All the other borders will be sealed.
The restrictions will be in force from 2 pm Saturday till midnight on March 31.
Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) also closed down its functioning as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus.
All services, except for emergencies, have been withdrawn and the public banned from entering the MCC office.
Emergency services are provided by outsourced personnel on shift basis near the entrance, MCC commissioner Ajith Kumar said.
