Thiruvananthapuram, June 7 (IANS): On the eve of easing of lockdown norms, for the third day in a row, the total number of new Covid cases on Sunday crossed 100 in Kerala to settle at 107.

On Saturday it was 108 and on Friday the state registered 111 cases.

State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja in a statement issued here said that of the new cases, 71 came from abroad, while 28 were from within the country. The remaining eight are local infections.

"As on date, 1,095 people are positive and are under treatment, while 803 have been cured. As many as 1,91,481 people are at present under observation in homes and corona care centres, including 1,716 in hospitals.

"With the addition of 4 more hotspot areas, the total number of containment zones in the state has risen to 144," said Shailaja.

According to the easing of lockdown norms starting Monday, permission has been given to open places of worship, malls and restaurants.

The Kerala government on Sunday came out with a fresh directive saying all the state government offices will have to function normally from Monday and the only exception are for those offices which are now located in hotspots and containment zones should operate from minimum staff who hail from the district only.