E-Paper
Coronavirus update: What made Kasaragod a Covid-19 hotspot and how life is in this Kerala town
In Kerala’s hotspot Kasaragod district in north Kerala which reported 156 of the state’s 345 Sars-CoV-2 virus cases, people are living under a curfew.
A police vehicle screeches to a halt in a deserted locality in Kasaragod town, which was earlier a busy intersection, and makes a public announcement that those who need essentials can dial the number given to every household and these things will be distributed in the evening. Fire department personnel are busy spraying disinfectants at the bus stand and other areas.
In Kerala’s hotspot Kasaragod district in north Kerala which reported 156 of the state’s 345 Sars-CoV-2 virus cases, people are living under a curfew.
Initially it was difficult for the people to follow stricter norms, but they were forced to fall in line after police started implementing them ruthlessly. Strict action forced many to remain indoors. “We have made the turnaround. We did it ruthlessly and told people it is life and death situation. Results are there to see,” said Vijay Sakhare, Inspector General of Police (Kochi range) who was specially assigned in north Kerala when situation turned alarming.
“First we cut off all villages and all roads were blocked and started observing people on home quarantine strictly. Those who jumped home quarantine were shifted to government quarantine, which have minimum facilities, immediately. Every day a sub-inspector and his team visits people on quarantine and monitor their health condition and shows a video on social distancing and other measures,” he said.
Kasaragod is one of the early 10 Covid-19 hotspots declared by the Union Health Ministry. When Pathanamthitta in central Kerala came out of the list, Kasaragod struggled with cases. High number of expatriates, poor surveillance in initial days and lack of proper medical infrastructure pushed the costal district neighbouring Karnataka to infamy. Senior IAS officer Alkesh Kumar Sharma and Inspector General of Police Vijay Sakhre were rushed to the district when Kasargod reported at least half of the total cases.
“It is worse than a curfew. Though we faced many difficulties we realised it is for our good. Mobile and socialising lot, we never spent so many days behind doors like this. But we are happy that these restrictions helped contain the virus otherwise Kasaragod would have been another Dharavi,” said Usman Koya, a native of Kananhad, who returned from Bahrain last year.
Earlier, the district had reported many glaring cases of apathy, including that of an alleged smuggler jumping quarantine and transmitting the disease to many. After his case came to light, customs officials found that he had made 14 trips to the Middle East in last three months. Later, the district collector had impounded his passport and registered a case against him.
“Things are under control now. Among 156 cases, 101 are those who returned from the Middle East. Rest are their immediate contacts. There is no community spread in the district but we are keeping a strict vigil,” said district collector D Sajith Babu.
According to the district administration, at least 5,000 people came from the Gulf since February 15 in the district and they were put on home quarantine but many later slipped out aggravating the situation. At least 60 per cent of the returned from Dubai are from Naif, a crowded commercial and residential area in Dubai, one of the hotspots in the Middle East.
