Kerala will observe a complete lockdown on Sunday, May 17, to strengthen its fight and surveillance against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday, after the southern state reported 16 new cases. With this, the state’s tally has gone up to 576 including four deaths.

The CM said that the sudden increase in Covid cases in the state is a real concern and the government will take all steps to maintain a steady rate.

Kerala, which reported the country’s first coronavirus case, declared last week that it had flattened the curve. But from only 20 active cases on May 10, the numbers rose to 80 on May 15, an increase of 60 positive cases in just five days, according to PTI.

The spurt in the infections was seen after the return of expats from abroad and migrant workers from other parts of the country.

Of the cases reported on Friday, seven are those who have returned from abroad, while four had come from Tamil Nadu and two from Mumbai, said Vijayan.

Out of the total cases in the state, north Kerala district Wayanad, which was earlier a green zone, has reported maximum cases of 19 followed by Kasaragod, the chief minister said.

The CM said a non-AC special train will be arranged from New Delhi next week to bring stranded students. A special help desk will be set up for this in Delhi. Similarly the railways agreed to run a daily train from Bangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram and special trains from five other states.

Opposition parties had slammed the government for its delay in bringing back stranded alleging that it was more concerned on its graph than welfare of its people.

The state had observed a complete shutdown on May 10 as well as a symbolic gesture to renew its fight against the pandemic.

May 17 is the last day of the third phase of nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19. The dates of the fourth phase of lockdown are yet to be announced. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on May 11, had said that the lockdown 4.0 will have a “completely different form”, with new rules.