Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in Kerala, the state Health Minister KK Shailaja has warned people against gathering during the ongoing festival celebrations.

The Minister said the ceremony of 'vidyarambham' (initiation of small children into the world of letters) to be held on October 26 should be celebrated without crowding.

She also said that gold rings or other gold ornaments used by elders to write the auspicious first letters of the alphabet on the tongues of children to mark vidyarambham, should be disinfected mandatorily.

The gold used for writing on the tongue of one child should not be used for another. These precautions are being taken as COVID-19 spreads mainly through mouth and nose.

Those with symptoms of the infection should bring their children for Vidyarambham. Prescribed distance should be maintained while having sweets or food during the ceremony. The organisers should take down the names and phone numbers of those taking part in the vidyarambham ceremony.

Those with the following symptoms; fever, throat pain, cold, sneezing, cough, fatigue, with loss of sense to smell or taste, should not take part in the ceremony. Children with any of the above symptoms should be initiated into the world of letters only in their respective homes.

The rituals associated with Vidyarambham and Bommai Kolu should be performed and observed in their respective homes or by bringing together families living nearby. 

"The Navratri celebrations this year are different from what we have had in previous years. All parts of the state are under threat from the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in the number of patients over the age of 60 is alarming," Shailaja said in a press release.

The state om Friday inched towards the one-lakh-mark as daily positive cases continued to soar with 8,511 fresh cases and the death toll mounted to 1,281.

As many as 95,657 people are presently undergoing treatment for the infection, while 2,80,793 people have recovered and the total infections touched 3,64,895.