20 new cases in Kerala, migrant workers hit streets

Kerala reported 20 positive cases of coronavirus on Sunday, taking the total number of those undergoing treatment for the deadly infection in the state to 181 while 1.41 lakh people are under observation, Health Minister KK Shailaja said.

While Kannur reported eight cases, seven were reported from the worst-affected Kasaragod and one each from Thrissur, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram districts, Shailaja said in a statement here.

On the fifth day of the three-week national lockdown, the state saw hundreds of migrant workers coming out on streets in Chenganassery in Kottayam district, demanding arrangements for their travel back home with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying some forces were trying to create unrest and forced the workers to indulge in such acts.

With continued' blockade of inter-state roads by neighbouring Karanataka "affecting" movement of essential commodities, Vijayan shot off a second letter in two days to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention.

He also called Modi over phone and apprised him about the matter following which the later assigned Home Minister Amit Shah to deal with the matter, the Chief Minister's Office said.

Shah later held a detailed telephonic discussion with Vijayan and assured him that he will talk to Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa, it added.

Meanwhile, continuing its crackdown on violators of the lockdown, police on Sunday arrested 1,068 people, including a priest and two nuns in connection with conduct of prayer in a church, for lockdown violations, registered 1,029 cases and seized 531 vehicles.

In Chenganassery, the migrants came out on streets, violating the lockdown restrictions imposed by the Centre to prevent the spread of the virus amid similar exodus in other parts of the country, including Delhi.

The Kerala government deployed police forces and sent administrative officers to pacify the agitating migrant workers, who are called guest labourers in the state, and managed to send them back to their camps.

One of the migrant workers said in Hindi " CM Pinarayi Viajyan ji, we want to go back. We are not getting food. We have no money. Our landlords are asking us to leave as we are unable to pay rent".

The Kottayam district administration, swung into action, and assured the agitated workers that their food issues would be taken care of, but turned down their demand for travel facilities, citing the lockdown.

State Minister V S Sunil Kumar also held talks with migrant workers in Perumbavoor in Ernakulam, where over 45,000 people from other states are staying.

Reacting to the development, Vijayan said some forces were trying to create unrest in the society and forced the guest workers to come on the streets during the pandemic.

"All arrangements have been made for medical assistance to them. The government is constantly engaging with guest workers to ensure their well-being. Yet there were attempts to stir up misunderstandings among them and it's a move against the state," Vijayan said in a statement

There were clear indications about those forces which had "misled" and provoked the working class and requested such people to stay away from the heinous acts challenging people during the period of crisis...

Of the 20 new COVID-19 cases, as many as 18 had come from abroad and two others infected through contact.

Meanwhile, samples of four persons who were under treatment in Pathnamthitta were found negative.

As of now, a total of 202 people were infected in the state, of which, 20 cases were cured but one person died.

"At least, 1,41,211 people are under observation in Kerala, of which 593 are in isolation wards of various hospitals. A total of 6,690 samples have been sent for testing and 5,518 have been tested negative," Shailaja said.

Meanwhile, two persons under home quarantine died in the state and health officials have sent their samples for testing for coronavirus.

With bars and state-run liquor outlets remaining shut, two men ended their lives in frustrated at not being able to procure their daily drink.

The Indian Medical Association has come down against the government's move to provide liquor to those showing withdrawal symptoms, saying it was not a "scientific" solution.

With Karnataka showing no signs of opening its roads bordering Kerala, Vijayan once again brought the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister, urging him to intervene to ensure that goods movement were not affected.

He also pointed out that a seriously ill woman died after an ambulance carrying her was allegedly not allowed by Karnataka police to cross over to Mangaluru from Thalappady.

Meanwhile, a priest and nine others, including two nuns, of a church near Wayanad were arrested and later released on bail on Sunday for conducting prayers in violation of lockdown norms for religious institutions.

The police in Kozhikode registered a case against an Indian Union Muslim League leader, Noorbina Rashid, who conducted the marriage of her daughter allegedly violating coronavirus protocol and allowed her son, who was under quarantine, to participate. Her son was also booked, police said.

The total number of cases registered for lockdown violations in the state so far has risen to 9,340, they added.