Concerned by the spike in the number of Covid-19 Omicron cases, the Kerala government has decided to impose a night curfew from December 30 to January 2.

With 19 new cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Kerala, the tally of a new variant in the state has reached 57, the Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday.

In a Covid-19 review meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the state decided to impose the night curfew. New Year celebrations will not be also allowed beyond 10 pm, with hotels, clubs and bars allowed to accommodate only fifty per cent of the seating capacity. The curfew will last till 5 am.

Apart from enhancing Covid-19 vaccination drives, steps to distribute ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicines that boost immunity would be also taken. Anticipating a surge in Covid-19 cases by January-end, steps to enhance oxygen production and storage were also being taken, said a statement from the CMO.