The Kerala cabinet has recommended that the Centre re-categorise some of the state’s districts since several of them have very few Covid-19 cases while one has seen a spurt in patients.

Kerala’s total of active cases fell from 167 on Wednesday to 147 on Thursday, with 27 patients being discharged and 7 new patients testing positive.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters that Kasaragod, Kannur and Malappuram should remain in Zone 1 (red zone) because of the high incidence of Covid-19 cases there.

He said Kozhikode should be downgraded to Zone 1 from Zone 3 (green zone, the safest). While there are 57 patients in Kasaragod, neighbouring Kannur has 47, Kozhikode has 11 and Malappuram, 8.

“No relaxation in the curbs will be allowed in these districts until May 3,” Vijayan said.

He said Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam should be upgraded to Zone 2 (orange zone) from Zone 1.

Pathanamthitta, Kollam — which was already in Zone 2 — and Ernakulam have six, five and four patients, respectively, in hospital.

Vijayan said the cabinet had recommended some relaxation in these districts after April 24, provided the situation didn’t worsen.

Pathanamthitta has made a sharp recovery from being the state’s first Covid-19 hotspot.

Vijayan said Thiruvananthapuram and Wayanad should be upgraded from Zone 1 to Zone 3, and Alappuzha, Palakkad, Thrissur, Kottayam and Idukki from Zone 2 to Zone 3.

While Alappuzha has three cases, Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad have two each, and Thrissur and Wayanad just one each.

The cabinet has recommended some relaxation in these districts to allow traditional industries like coir, khadi, beedi and cashew to resume and some industries to open with fifty per cent of the workforce doing two shifts a day.

Kottayam and Idukki have no cases left in hospital and could be granted a little more leeway in the form of some commercial activities, Vijayan said.

But under no circumstances would religious gatherings, cinemas, public meetings or huge weddings be allowed anywhere in the state, he said.

Asked if Kerala would name the zones after the colours red, orange and green like the Centre, Vijayan said: “We have not decided to name any zones. But there’s no problem in naming them.”

Kerala has so far reported 394 cases including two deaths and 245 discharges.

Vijayan said the cabinet had decided to allow the resumption of rubber-processing units when districts become safe for such activities.

“We took the decision since rubber is the main raw material for making medical gloves and other supplies,” he said.

Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing will remain mandatory across the state.

“Food processing, including oil mills and rice mills, will be allowed to function in a graded manner,” Vijayan said.

Sales of fertiliser and seeds will be allowed in the safe zones (Zone 3) to help farmers resume their activities before the onset of monsoon.

Although there is no plan to resume public transport, the cabinet cleared odd-even rationing of private vehicles in districts that stay safe till April 20.

Vijayan urged local bodies to engage the unemployed migrant workers in cleaning operations.