Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is approaching the Centre to recast the boundaries of Covid-19 hotspots and other risk zones as notified by the Union Health Ministry on the basis of its own assessment of the ground realities and threat perceptions.
Under the system proposed by the state government, the 4 northern districts of Kasargod, Kannur, Malappuram and Kozhi - kode will be declared one zone with red label.
Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam are to be declared as orange zone, considering the fact the number of cases tested positive for the disease in these districts is very few.
The Centre had notified Pathanamthitta in the high-risk zone as the district had been known as the epicentre of the second phase of the virus outbreak after a family coming from Italy slipped out of the airport without undergoing the coronavirus monitoring system and later showed symptoms of the disease.
This had led to a massive hunt for primary and secondary contacts of the family under which over a thousand people were put under observation or quarantine.
All the members of the family and their primary contracts have since been discharged from hospitals after they completely recovered from the attack. The district has consistently been reporting zero additions to the list of people testing positive, indicating complete control of the virus spread.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan told media the state will implement all the general guidelines given by the Centre and a complete shutdown will be followed in hotspots. However, in the other zones, relaxations will be allowed in a phased manner so life can return to normal in its limited sense.
