4 Kerala districts in red, 10 in orange zones: CM

 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, here on Thursday, said there would be fresh rearrangement and four districts would continue in the red zone. Strict protocol would continue in red zoned districts -- Kannur, Kasargode, Kozhikode and Malappuram.

In the earlier classification, Idukki and Kottayam were in the green zone. But with fresh positive cases, they will be now in the orange zone with other districts, like Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Trissur and Wayanad.

Vijayan said the local administration would determine hot spots in these 10 districts and all such spots would be closed. "At the village level, the hot spot would be the ward, in the municipalities it will be the particular ward and in the corporation areas it would be the divisions, which will be under complete lockdown," said Vijayan.

According to statistics a possible third outbreak had been prevented and there had been no community spread in the state, he said.

"But this doesn't mean the threat has disappeared. We have to be on high alert and there can be no relaxation in our efforts of maintaining caution. The borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will remain closed," Vijayan said.

Stating that things were still fluid, he said all those above 60 years should not take part in the national rural employment guarantee works till May 3.

Pointing to unnecessary controversy about Tablighi Jamaat attendees, he said, "All Keralites who attended the Nizamudeen conference in Delhi have been identified and been tested."

The permission had been granted for opening of quarries in a restricted manner, he added. IANS