For the second day in a row, Kerala has reported no new cases of COVID-19. On Monday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that 61 of the 95 people under treatment tested negative, leaving the total number of active cases in the state 34.
More than 21,000 people are in observation for coronavirus, most of whom are in home quarantine. In addition to the regular testing, the sentinel surveillance of priority groups is also taking place with 2,431 tests happening on Monday; 1,846 of these have been negative.
CM Pinarayi said that the 84 hotspots in the state will remain as such and no new areas have been added to the list.
At his press briefing, he spoke about Malayalis stuck outside Kerala, in other parts of the world and the rest of the country, and about the requests being made in this regard.
“More than 80 Malayalis have reportedly died of COVID-19 in different countries. Many Malayalis have also been affected by the disease in the rest of India. We have begun the efforts to bring them back,” the CM said.
There are many obstacles for the people trying to come home to Kerala, including the lack of transport arrangements. Centre intervention is needed for their safe return, the CM said, and he said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this. It was also requested of the PM to allow Malayalis to return in the special trains arranged for migrant workers from Kerala to go to their home states, he added.
“Those who wish to return, registering on the COVID-19 Jagrata portal of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), should take permission for travel from the concerned District Collector. The time and date of reaching the respective checkposts should be mentioned in the application. Permission is required of the state that one leaves, and screening, if required, should also be done. Passes would be sent through email,” CM Pinarayi said.
Priority in issuing passes to those coming from other states will be given to students, senior citizens who had travelled from Kerala, and pregnant women.
Those reaching the state and showing symptoms of the disease shall be moved to a corona-care centre or hospital while others will be asked to be in home quarantine. Those who wish to travel to other states to bring back their relatives will need permission from those states and passes from the respective collector.
The CM then detailed the plans that the state had for industrial development, including a star-rating system for investors.
He hailed the work done by the state, competing in efficiency with the world powers. But even with all the glory that the state gained, there is a category of people who finds comfort in controversies, CM Pinarayi said.
“Whatever good happens, they don’t see it as something nice happening for the state. They worry that it will be seen as the good done by the LDF government. It shows a bad attitude. We should realise it is our land’s future that will be empowered.”