While everyone is wary of the coronavirus disease spreading across the world, it is unfortunate that some people in Kerala are showing a bad attitude towards foreign tourists, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lamented during the Monday press conference.
No new cases were reported from the state on Tuesday, but the number of people under observation has considerably increased.
From 12,740 on Monday, it increased to 18,011 on Tuesday, an increase of 5,271. Of these people, 17,743 are in home quarantine and the remaining are admitted in various hospitals. Sixty-five admissions were made to hospitals on Monday.
So far, Kerala has tested 2,467 samples, out of which 1,807 have come back negative. There are 23 positive cases of coronavirus as on Tuesday night, with three persons from Wuhan having recovered earlier and a child from Italy also testing negative. However, the child’s final results are awaited.
However, the Chief Minister reminded everyone that these times too shall pass, and Kerala will need to rely on tourism in a big way again.
Several incidents of hostile behaviour towards foreign tourists have been reported. Two tourists from France and Italy respectively had to wander without finding a place to stay because no one would accommodate them. In north Kerala, a French man was forced to leave a bus he was travelling on by other passengers who suspected he might have coronavirus. In central Kerala, a young French woman with her three-year-old child could not find a place to stay or food to eat for two days, and authorities had to intervene and put them up in a lodge.
“Not that I don’t have the exact details of where these happened. I use north Kerala and central Kerala because these are really humiliating for the state. In yet another case, a Russian family with three kids came to Kerala and could not find a taxi or a place to stay. Police officials intervene in such cases and ensure they have a place to stay. You have to remember this is not the end of everything – we are trying to create a better environment to step into once the disease spread is contained. Tourism must be empowered. If tourists have such negative experiences it will affect the impression the state has had for so long. Beyond all, however, we must give importance to humanity. We cannot allow experiences that go against humanity,” the CM said.
Strict action shall be taken against such behaviour, he warned.
The tourism industry has formed groups in every district to help tourists who find difficulties in finding an accommodation, the CM added.
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