India’s Kerala state orders lockdown as COVID cases rise

The southern state has an active caseload of some 154,000 infections, 37 percent of India’s total cases.

India’s southern state of Kerala has announced a two-day lockdown as federal authorities plan to send experts to fight the spread of infections in the country’s leading COVID-19 hotspot. India’s daily cases have fallen after a devastating second wave that overwhelmed the healthcare system, and vaccination efforts are gaining steam. But experts have warned the authorities against reopening cities too quickly.