A day after the state reported a record 41,953 COVID-19 cases and a test positivity rate of 25.69%, the Kerala government announced a full lockdown from May 8 to 16. The lockdown will come into force at 6 am on Saturday. Services like milk, groceries, fruits, vegetables will be allowed.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to Twitter and said, “The entire State of Kerala will be under lockdown from 6 am on 8 May to 16 May. This is in the background of a strong 2nd wave of #COVID19." At present, lockdown is enforced from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with semi-lockdown-like curbs during weekends.

With the number of patients admitted to hospitals increasing, the state’s health infrastructure has come under immense pressure. Currently, 61 percent of oxygen beds in medical colleges and 51.28 percent of oxygen beds in other government hospitals were already occupied. Due to this, a day ago, the Kerala CM had even urged the central government to allot 1,000 MT of imported liquid medical oxygen, PSA plants, oxygen concentrators and ventilators.

The entire State of Kerala will be under lockdown from 6am on 8 May to 16 May. This is in the background of a strong 2nd wave of #COVID19.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) May 6, 2021

0.96% beds in CFLTCs and 20.6% in CSLTCs are O2 beds. 1731 of 3231 O2 beds in Medical Colleges are for #COVID19 patients. 1429 + 546 non Covid are in use. 2028 of 3001 O2 beds under DHS are for Covid patients, 1373 occupied. 66.12 % of 2990 O2 beds in Pvt. Hospitals are in use.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) May 5, 2021

2857 ICU beds in Govt. Hospitals, 996 for #COVID19 patients and 756 for others, 38.7% vacant. 2293 ventilators, 626 in use, 441 for Covid patients. 7085 ICU beds in Pvt. Hospitals, 1037 for Covid patients. 1523 ventilators, 377 for covid patients.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) May 5, 2021