Amid a concerning surge in daily Covid-19 cases, the Kerala government has decided to extend the weekend lockdown in the state in a bid to curb infections.

The Union Health Ministry will depute a six-member team to Kerala for effective Covid-19 management as the state reports a spike in daily cases.

The team headed by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Director S K Singh will reach Kerala Friday and visit some districts reporting a high case positivity rate, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

In a tweet, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, "The Central government is sending six-member team to Kerala headed by NCDC Director. As a large number of Covid cases are still being reported in Kerala, the team will aid state's ongoing efforts in Covid-19 management."

The ministry's statement said the team will work closely with state health authorities, take a stock of the ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions to contain the spread of the virus.

With an active caseload of 1.54 lakh as of latest update, Kerala accounts for 37.1 per cent of the total active cases in the country.

Average daily cases being reported in the state are above 17,443. The state has also reported a high case positivity of 12.93 per cent cumulatively and 11.97 per cent weekly. Six districts are reporting more than 10 per cent weekly positivity, the statement stated.